ZAMBOANGA: At least seven soldiers have suffered wounds in a fresh clash with a Daesh-linked group in a troubled Philippines southern province where several foreigners are reportedly being held.
Major Filemon Tan Jr., Armed Forces' Western Mindanao Command spokesman, told reporters that the soldiers were conducting road security operations when they encountered an undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf bandits in Tugas, a mountainous village in Patikul town, Sulu on Friday morning.
The wounded Marines were airlifted to Zamboanga City and rushed to the military's Camp Navarro General Hospital for treatment, he said.
Tan added that the encounter occurred at 11.00 a.m. (0400GMT), lasted an hour, and happened during a search and rescue operation for kidnap victims.
No report was made of Abu Sayyaf casualties as the "enemies" retreated into the ragged terrain and forest lush, according to Tan.
"There was no sighting of any hostages during the encounter."
The Abu Sayyaf has said it will execute foreign hostages if ransom demands are not met April 26.
The group is demanding P300 million ($6 million) each for Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, and Filipina Marites Flor.
The four were abducted from a resort on Samal Island in Davao province Sept. 21 last year.
The Abu Sayyaf is also believed to be holding a Dutch national kidnapped more than three years ago in Tawi-Tawi, a Chinese woman, six Filipinos, and 14 Indonesians and four Malaysians, abducted from boats off Tawi-Tawi province near Malaysia's easternmost state of Sabah.
Since 1991, the group -- armed with mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles -- has carried out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortions in a self-determined fight for an independent Islamic province in the Philippines.
It is notorious for beheading victims after ransoms have failed to be paid for their release.
AA
