World | Philippines
Abu Sayyaf leader and son wounded
Wanted Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and his son were wounded in an encounter with government troops in Jolo, southern Philippines, authorities said on Thursday.
- By Raffy Jimenez, Correspondent
- Published: 00:30 May 2, 2008
Manila: Wanted Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and his son were wounded in an encounter with government troops in Jolo, southern Philippines, authorities said on Thursday.
Major Eugene Batara, spokesman for the western Mindanao command, said Hapilon was "slightly wounded" in the hand but was able to escape as government troops pounced on the Abu Sayyaf group's lair early morning of Wednesday.
Batara said Hapilon's son Tabari, also a member of the Abu Sayyaf, was ''wounded in the head and abdomen" and is reportedly in critical condition.
Hapilon is one of two surviving Abu Sayyaf leaders whose capture has a $5 million (Dh18.36 million) reward from the US government. The other is Abu Pula who has a $100,000 (Dh367,260) on his head.
Batara said they mounted the attack on the base after being tipped off that Jemaah Islamiya (JI) leader Umar Patek could be in the said camp training locals to assemble bombs.
JI, the Southeast Asian arm of the Al Qaida, is responsible for terror attacks in the region including the 2002 bombing in Bali, Indonesia.
Patek and Dulmatin, another JI leader, are believed to be somewhere in southern Philippines. Authorities earlier said Dulmatin was killed in an encounter in February but DNA tests done on him remain inconclusive.
Authorities said the militants incurred "heavy casualties" without giving an actual body count.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Coordinating Council confirmed that at least 335 families have been displaced during the fighting in the town on Indanan. They are presently being housed in an evacuation centre.
Abu Sayyaf, which is estimated to have 380 fighters - down from 1,000 eight years ago - is believed to have launched its last major attack in February 2005 with simultaneous bombings in Manila and two southern cities that killed eight people and wounded more than 100.
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