Five members of a Muslim kidnap gang were killed Tuesday after Philippine troops assaulted their jungle hideout in the southern island of Basilan, the military said. One of the fatalities was believed to be Muntong Salih, a renegade “commander” of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), wanted by the military for helping bandits from the smaller Abu Sayyaf group carry out abductions in recent years. The assault came after a tip from local villagers, who had complained of being harassed by Abu Sayyaf gunmen, said Basilan army chief Colonel Bonifacio Ramos. “We have been operating in this area based on information that we gathered from civilians and this is the result,” Ramos said. In nearby Jolo island, south of Basilan, military OV-10 attack planes launched night-time bombings of Abu Sayyaf positions Tuesday, the local military commander said. Full Story
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