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ZAMBOANGA
CITY—Four
rogue Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) fighters
were killed as fighting broke out anew on Tuesday
between Marines and MNLF forces under Habier Malik in
the hinterlands of Sulu, a military official disclosed.
The
fighting broke out three days after the Western Mindanao
Command (Wesmincom) chief, Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo,
ordered military units in Sulu to be “in active defense
position.”
Maj.
Eugenio Batara, Wesmincon information officer, said the
fresh fighting broke out shortly before
6 a.m. in barangay Kambing, Kalinggalang Kaluang town.
Batara
said the fighting erupted when the Marines spotted some
200 gunmen led by Malik while on combat and clearing
operations in barangay Kambing.
“The
fighting still continues as of this hour,” Batara said.
Four of Malik’s followers have so far been killed and an
M-14 rifle was recovered by the troops.
In his
directive, Cedo ordered the conduct of preemptive
strike, security patrols and maneuvers, limited attacks,
checkpoints, reconnaissance and hot pursuit among others
in order to deny the contested areas or positions to the
Abu Sayyaf’s high-value targets and rogue MNLF forces.
Cedo’s
directive, that took effect on May 5, also includes the
establishment of checkpoints utilizing troops who are
not engaged in the other activities.
No
casualty has been reported on the side of the government
forces so far, Batara said.
The
military forces under the Wesmincom have been hunting
down Malik and his followers, who attacked a Marine camp
and the town hall of Panamao on April 13.
Government forces retaliated, leading to fierce fighting
for a few days.
Malik
and his followers have been on the run since government
forces seized his base, Camp Jabal Uhud located in
barangay Bitan-ag, Panamao.
It was
in the said camp where Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino
along with other ranking military defense officials were
recently held hostage for few days by Malik and his men.
The
fighting forced some 9,000 families or more than 45,000
persons to evacuate to avoid the fighting.
The
evacuees are temporarily housed in different public
schools.
Cedo
also ordered the troops in Sulu to convince the
displaced residents to return to their homes, so they
can vote on May 14. |
