CAMP AGUINALDO, — One soldier was killed while eight (8) others were wounded when a roadside bomb was detonated as a convoy of vehicles passed by in Tipo-tipo village, Tipo-tipo town, Basilan (June 16).
Lt Col Cristobal Paolo Perez, the commander of the 18th Infantry Battalion, said that a KM450 truck carrying 11 soldiers was heading towards town proper when a pipe bomb exploded at around 8:05 a.m.
“My troops returned fire and dismounted from the vehicle to repulse the attackers numbering about 7. The bandits fled after about 15 minutes of intense firefight,” he said.
Perez said that the vehicle was slightly damaged but the soldiers were hit by shrapnel and flying debris caused by the explosion.
One soldier died instantly while 8 others were wounded. Two of the wounded soldiers were in serious condition. They are currently treated in a local hospital.
Col. Rolando Bautista, the Commander of Joint Task Group Basilan has sent reinforcements to pursue the bandits led by Furudji Indama.
Foreign terrorists
Perez said that the attack was perpetrated by the bandits who received bomb training from Malaysian terrorist named Abu Anas.
“The pipe bombs that we recovered in this incident are quite similar to the IEDs that we seized from the bomb factory in Tuburan proper, Mohammad Ajul town about two months ago. Abu Anas was the main bomb maker among the group,” he said.
It can be recalled that a local terror group led by Isnilon Hapilon had pledged allegiance to ISIS but their links to the extremely radical group could not be established.
PIO AFP
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