Gunmen attack Philippine Army post in Abu Sayyaf's stronghold
Nobody has claimed the attack but Basilan province is a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf terror group.
BASILAN: Gunmen reportedly attacked a Philippine Army outpost in the southern province of Basilan on Friday (June 16) where pro-Islamic State local terror groups had fighters killed and family members surrendered recently.
The attack took place in Ungkaya Pukan municipality, sparking a firefight that forced at least 300 people to flee their homes to safety, a news report quoted police as saying on Saturday (June 17).
The hour-long exchange of fire wounded a 38-year-old civilian, said the report further.
Civilians from Materling, as well as those from the villages of Lower Ulitan and Bohe Suyak, fled their homes to escape the clashes. They were temporarily housed in a madrasah, Ma'ahad Darul Ulum.
Maj. Alphad Osalli, the town's police chief, reportedly said the clash ended when the gunmen withdrew toward an unknown direction, making way for the evacuation of the displaced villagers by social and municipal workers.
Nobody has reportedly claimed the attack, but the town is a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf faction aligned with the Islamic State.
On June 6, government troops killed two pro-Islamic State fighters in a clash in Basilan's Sumisip municipality.
The slain terrorists were followers of pro-Islamic State Abu Sayyaf subleader Mudzrimar @ Mundi Sawadjaan and the subleader of the Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf Group, Pasil Bayali.Â
On June 15, government troops arrested two wives of Bayali and the widow of a slain Abu Sayyaf member allegedly in possession of a firearm and homemade bomb components also in Basilan.