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November 13, 2005
Philippines: Islamist Rebels Continue Battle on Jolo
We reported earlier on the fighting on the small southern island of Jolo in the Philippines, where four Filipino marines were killed in a guerilla battle that comenced on Friday evening. A group of marines were on regular patrol near the village of Buwansa, when they were ambushed by a small army of 300 rebels, led by Sahiron Raddulan, the one-armed horse-riding Abu Sayyaf militant.
Today, the Manila Times states that the death toll for the insurgents is 19 in battling which has continued around the town of Indanan. 21 soldiers have been wounded, and eight of these are in a critical condition states Birgadier Gerneral Alexander Aleo, military chief on Jolo.
Aleo states that rebel members of MNLF, the Moro National Liberation Front had joined with the Abu Sayyaf fighters in the combat. On Saturday new clashes between Abu Sayyaf militants and the military broke out in Candilamon village. Aleo states that as well as pursuing Radulan Sahiron, his forces are trying to track Albader Parad, another Abu Sayyaf leader on Jolo. Both men are on Washington and Manila lists of most-wanted terrorists.
Renegade MNLF forces have threatened to attack the town of Panamao in eastern Jolo if the army pursues its battles with Abu Sayyaf. The rebels have been harrassing individuals living at Indanan and Panamao. Brigadier General Aleo has ordered more troops. The fighting continues.
The MNLF have been, like the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front), fighting for rights for the Bangsamoro people from the south Philippines, who are predominantly Muslim. The two groups signed a peace accord on October 29, 2001, but in November that year, a contingent of 200 former MNLF members attacked an army base in Jolo.
The leader of MNLF at that time was Nur Misauri, but after the attack on the army base, he fled to Malaysia. He was deported back to the Philippines and has been imprisoned on rebellion charges. Many of the MNLF rebels are still his supporters, and Abu Sayyaf itself has drawn recruits from MNLF.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 13, 2005 10:13 AM
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