The fighting erupted Sunday when government forces cordoned off a village on Jolo island in the southern Philippines and tried to arrest the three Abu Sayyaf commanders. Some of the estimated 220 militants in the village fired on the soldiers and clashes ensued.
Regional military commander Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino said troops recovered the body of one militant, but that intelligence sources indicated at least 17 rebels were killed. Five government soldiers were wounded, Dolorfino said in a brief telephone interview.
The hostilities broke out as residents of the predominantly Muslim island celebrated the Islamic festival of Eid-al-Fitr. Troops were trying to arrest rebel commanders Isnilon Hapilon, Albader Parad and Umbra Jumdail, also known as Dr. Abu.
"Sadly, they put up a fight, so the situation escalated" and the military had to dispatch bomber planes to provide aerial support to the soldiers, Hontiveros said.
Washington has offered a $5 million reward for Hapilon, who has been indicted in the U.S. for alleged involvement in terrorist acts against Americans and others in the Philippines, as well as lesser rewards for the capture of the other two commanders.
The Abu Sayyaf, which has about 400 fighters, has been blamed for numerous bombings, beheadings and kidnappings of Filipinos and foreigners. It is believed to have received funds from al-Qaida and is on a U.S. list of terrorist organizations.
Intelligence reports showed that 40 men under Hapilon arrived on Jolo on Saturday night from nearby Basilan island, he added.
The prevalence of militants at the village suggests they "were probably guarding high-value targets," Hontiveros said, adding that authorities were trying to determine whether any members of the Indonesian-based militant network Jemaah Islamiyah were at the village.
The Abu Sayyaf is believed to be sheltering Jemaah Islamiyah militants, including Umar Patek and Dulmatin. The two are suspected of helping mastermind the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings that killed 202 people, and then fleeing to the southern Philippines to evade a crackdown in Indonesia.
(AP)
