(dpa) - A senior Muslim rebel leader and his son were wounded in an attack by government troops on an Abu Sayyaf camp on a southern Philippine island, a regional military spokesman said Thursday. Isnilon Hapilon and his son Tabari were injured in the fighting Wednesday in Indanan town on Jolo Island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, Major Eugene Batarra said. Hapilon, one of the Abu Sayyaf leaders wanted by the the United States, and his son were able to escape into the jungle, Batarra said. The major added that the rebels suffered heavy casualties in Wednesday's attack, which led to the seizure of a guerrilla bomb-making facility. About 200 guerrillas were in the camp during the attack, including militants with the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) regional terrorist group, he said.
The Abu Sayyaf and JI have been blamed for the most deadly terrorist attacks in the country. Both groups have been linked to the al Qaeda terrorist network.