[Mindanao Examiner] Two Philippine soldiers were killed and another wounded in an attack on a marine post by Abu Sayyaf militants before dawn Monday in Sulu province. The insurgents assaulted the post in Talipao town. Marines returned fire for about 15 minutes until the militants fled.Officials would not say how militants managed to get so close to the marine post undetected. It was the second time in two weeks that the military was attacked on its own turf. Dozens of Abu Sayyaf gunmen under Radulan Sahiron also attacked an army base in Patikul town on December 15 that left at least 5 soldiers injured.
This latest attack came barely a week after the military claimed to have killed 5 Abu Sayyaf militants under Commander Ninok Sapari in a clash in Patikul province. Village officials denied the military report and accused marines of killing an innocent civilian, Datu Kimar Amirul. They allege he was taken by the soldiers to guide them in the village and that he was eventually killed in cold blood.