Posted on 05/14/2005 5:38:50 AM PDT by knighthawk
Soldiers killed six members of the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremist group in a clash on Saturday on the southern Philippine island of Jolo.
"At least six Abu Sayyaf terrorists were killed by soldiers and we recovered the bodies and their weapons," said Brigadier General Alexander Aleo, head of an anti-terror task force on the island.
Two Marines were also wounded in the clash, Brigadier General Aleo said.
An undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf were also wounded in the battle, said Colonel Juancho Sabban, head of the Marine force on the island.
A Marine reconnaissance force crept up on the camp of the gang led by commander Radulan Sahiron in the jungles of Patikul town, said Colonel Sabban.
"Many of them were still sleeping and were caught by surprise by our attacking special operation team," Colone Sabban added.
The attack was part of continuing operations against Sahiron's group which had stepped up its attacks on government forces in February.
The Abu Sayyaf has been linked by both Washington and Manila to the Al Qaeda terror network led by Osama bin Laden
The group has engaged in bombings and kidnapping-for-ransom attacks against Christians and foreigners in the southern Philippines for more than a decade.
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