One soldier killed, 7 wounded in Abu Sayyaf attack in Philippines


dpa German Press Agency
Published: Sunday January 21, 2007

Manila- One soldier was killed and seven others were wounded in an ambush by al-Qaeda-linked Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels on a southern Philippine island, an army spokesman said Sunday. The attack occurred on Saturday in Parang town on Jolo island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, as the military confirmed the killing of Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadafi Janjalani in a clash in September 2006.

The military has warned of retaliatory attacks for the death of Janjalani and another senior Abu Sayyaf commander, Abu Solaiman, in separate clashes with government troops in Jolo.

Army spokesman Major Ernesto Torres said soldiers were aboard three M35 trucks on their way to a patrol base when an undetermined number of rebels opened fire at them on Saturday noon.

One soldier was killed and seven others were wounded in the firefight, he said.

Six rebels were apprehended after the clash.

"This incident did not and will not deter the operating troops' will to end terrorism in the province at the soonest possible time," he said.

"Instead, it emboldens your military troops to press on with the fight and continue to conduct military operations so as not to give the terrorists a chance to hurt the Filipino people, especially the innocent civilians," he added.

The Abu Sayyaf has been blamed for some of the worst terrorist attacks in the Philippines, including the bombing of a passenger ferry that killed more than 100 people in February 2004.

Authorities have expressed confidence that the death of Janjalani and Solaiman - both wanted by the United States - would lead to the decline in the rebel group's activities.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency