Philippines: 26 dead in clashes between marines and Abu Sayyaf fighters
The death toll from clashes between government forces and Abu Sayyaf bandits who launched a counterattack to regain control of a jungle training camp in Sulu has risen to 26, the military said yesterday.
Western Mindanao Command spokesperson Capt. Maria Rowena Muyuela said the latest field reports showed 25 Abu Sayyaf militants were killed and 24 of them wounded. On the government side, one Marine trooper died and 19 were wounded.
No fresh fighting was reported yesterday even as the death toll from the fighting increased from 15 since some of the wounded militants died, Muyuela said. She said local residents identified 20 of the slain gunmen.