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![The Philippine army receives much of its training from US military advisors and support staff [AFP]](http://mwcnews.net/images/stories/Asia/A/C/1/2/3/4/Philippine-army-cd.jpg "The Philippine army receives much of its training from US military advisors and support staff [AFP]") | | The Philippine army receives much of its training from US military advisors and support staff [AFP] |
More than a dozen Abu Sayyaf fighters have been killed after government forces attempted to arrest rebel leaders in the southern Philippines, officials have said.
The gunbattle began when the army cordoned off a village on Jolo island and moved in to take three Abu Sayyaf commanders into custody, major general Benjamin Dolorfino said on Monday. "Sadly, they put up a fight, so the situation escalated," Dolorfino said, adding that an estimated 220 fighters in the village fought to prevent the arrests. The army then called an airstrike. The regional military commander said his intelligence sources said at least 17 rebels were killed - although only one body was recovered. Five government soldiers were wounded. Kidnap and murder The rebel commanders, Isnilon Hapilon, Albader Parad and Umbra Jumdail, are wanted by Washington and Manila on kidnapping and murder charges. The US had offered a $5 million reward for Hapilon, who was indicted in the US for alleged involvement in terrorist acts against Americans and others in the Philippines, as well as lesser rewards for the capture of the two other commanders. The Abu Sayyaf, which has about 400 fighters, has been blamed for numerous bombings, beheadings and kidnappings of Filipinos and foreigners. Intelligence reports showed that 40 men under Hapilon arrived on Jolo on Saturday night from nearby Basilan island, Dolorfino said.
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Tags: Philippines Abu Sayyaf
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