March 11, 2005, The Philippine Star, 5 Sayyaf suspects killed in Sulu,

March 11, 2005, The Philippine Star, 5 Sayyaf suspects killed in Sulu,

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Marines killed five suspected Abu Sayyaf terrorists and captured five others in an hour-long shootout in Sulu yesterday as they were pursuing renegade members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

In Parang town, four soldiers were wounded yesterday in clashes with fleeing Abu Sayyaf terrorists near Camp Lanao Dakula, a rebel stronghold overrun by soldiers late last week.

"The firefight is still ongoing," said Armed Forces Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Alberto Braganza.

In the first encounter, Marines seized several high-powered firearms from the Abu Sayyaf band of about 30 to 40 led by Radulan Sahiron at about 6:30 a.m. in Barangay Danag in Patikul town.

"The troops recovered one of the slain Abu Sayyaf members," Braganza said. "The Marines monitored from a radio intercept that there were five killed but they were immediately retrieved and dragged away."

Braganza said the five Abu Sayyaf members were captured as the Marines maneuvered towards the rear of the stronghold where they were holed out.

"The Abu Sayyaf bandits that our forces encountered were among the terrorists dislodged from the camps that our forces occupied in the recent intensified offensive," he said. -- Roel Pareño, Jaime Laude