Fierce fighting in Sulu continues (Phillipines)

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SOUTHERN Command Chief Lt. General Alberto Braganza ordered Tuesday the conduct of massive air strikes on the well-known lair of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) breakaway forces, backed up by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, situated at Barangay Si-it, in Panamao, Sulu.

General Braganza's directive came following the series of attacks by the joined enemy forces against government patrol troops running after the group of Abu Sayyaf leader Comdr. Gumbahali Jundail, alias Dr. Abu, in the tri-boundary of Maimbung, Parang and Indanan.

Dr. Abu's group was responsible in the series of atrocities in Sulu, including the kidnapping of Parang physician Dr. Alverio Canda last November. Canda was later released without payment of ransom, the Southern Command had said.

The series of simultaneous attacks, including the ambush of the marine soldiers in Patikul last Monday afternoon resulted to 17 soldiers killed on the government side and, at least, four innocent civilians, mostly children, caught in the crossfire.

Sun.Star Zamboanga