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15 Manila troops killed in clashes with MNLF
At least fifteen Philippine government troops died and 20 others wounded in series of fierce encounters since last Friday, September 7 in Sulu during clashes with heavily armed men belonging to Abu Sayyaf and the Moro National Liberation Front, the Bangsamoro Islamic News Agency [BINA] reported today. The military, however, reported only eight of its men were killed in action while inflicting 14 to the enemy. More than 6,000 soldiers are in Sulu to launch all-out offensive against Abu Sayyaf but a very reliable source disputed this claim saying that what the soldiers were encountering were legitimate MNLF forces still loyal to jailed leader Nur Misuari. The source also said the Abu Sayyaf members in Sulu are very few in number and they cannot put up a fight of this magnitude without other armed groups aiding them. That would seem to imply that there's not much difference between Abu Sayyaf and the MNLF guys, wouldn't it? Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2002-09-09 |
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