June 15, 2009, Gulf News, Abu Sayyaf leader holding Red Cross worker reportedly killed, by Barbara Mae Dacanay,

June 15, 2009, Gulf News, Abu Sayyaf leader holding Red Cross worker reportedly killed, by Barbara Mae Dacanay, Bureau Chief

Manila: A brother and top aide of a leader of the Abu Sayyaf faction believed to be holding an Italian Red Cross worker hostage was among those killed in skirmishes with a joint Philippine military and police team in southern Philippines last Saturday, a newspaper report said.

Gadger Parad, brother of group leader Albader Parad, was among the six Abu Sayyaf gunmen killed in a firefight with marines in the town of Indanan in Sulu province, said a Philippine Star report that quoted Philippine Navy spokesman Lt Col Edgard Arevalo.

Albader, whom the military tagged as "young and violent" and mastermind of past kidnapping cases, including that of television broadcast journalist Ces Drilon in June last year, was also reported injured in a gun battle last Friday. 

There were also reports that Albader was shot and killed by a government sniper but this was neither confirmed nor denied by the military. 

The Philippine government's Anti-Terrorism Task Force has set a $15,000 (Dh55,000) bounty for the "neutralisation" of Parad.

A total of 24 men, including nine government soldiers and 15 Abu Sayyaf bandits, were declared killed in clashes in several towns in Indanan where Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni was reportedly brought by his captors.

Parad's faction of the Abu Sayyaf, has been holding Vagni since January 15

Among those reported killed in the clashes over the weekend were: Parad's son Damz; the leader's brother Gadger; the children of Abu Pula, another ASG leader, identified as Ting and Magdar, and three other "important members" of the bandit group identified only as Darul, Sallam and Julmillun.

More than 20 government soldiers and 20 other Abu Sayyaf members were also wounded in the clashes, Arevalo said.

Lt Stefani Cacho, spokesperson of the military's Western Mindanao Command, said they believe the casualty count is higher as the bandits usually bring the bodies of their dead comrades along with them as they withdraw from the conflict areas.

"Our troops on the ground continue to validate the information that would be provided by ground intelligence while pursuit [operations] continued against the enemy," she said.

Jolo governor Abdusakur Tan told Gulf News he gave the green light for a joint military and police operation for Vagni's rescue.

Source (http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Philippines/10323126.html)