ZAMBOANGA CITY—Two Marines were wounded in an Abu Sayyaf attack in Sulu.

Maj. Ramon David Hontiveros, Western Mindanao Command spokesman, said the attack took place at 2:45 p.m. on Monday in sitio Talatak, barangay Bato-Bato, Indanan town.

Hontiveros said the Marines were manning an observation post when an undetermined number of bandits attacked them.

Hontiveros withheld the identities of the wounded Marines but said that they were slightly wounded and were taken to the trauma hospital in Camp Teodulfo Bautista, in the capital town of Jolo.

He said they maintained their position and repelled the attackers, who took with them their casualties.

“The firefight lasted for about five minutes and the Abu Sayyaf were forced to withdraw,” he said.

Government forces have strengthened the security measures following the series of atrocities perpetrated by the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.

Monday’s firefight came two days after a clash between government forces and former rebels who allied with the Abu Sayyaf in barangay Patibulan, Panamao town.

The troops killed a Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) fighter and recovered an M-16 rifle during the firefight that broke out at about 6:45 a.m. on Saturday.

The firefight broke out when the Marines were attacked by MNLF commander Jabier Malik’s group when the troops verified the reported presence of armed men in barangay Patibulan.

The military treats Malik and members of his group as bandits since they have allied themselves with the Abu Sayyaf.