Philippine Army seizes Abu Sayyaf camp

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines. August 14. KAZINFORM. At least 54 soldiers and militants were killed in fierce clashes in the southern Philippine province of Basilan, where security forces stormed an Abu Sayyaf camp; Kazinform refers to Arab News.

The fighting, which began Wednesday, also left more than a dozen soldiers wounded in the town of Ungkaya Pukan after the soldiers overran the camp in Silangkum village.

The military recovered at least 10 bodies of militants and improvised explosives and high-powered weapons from the camp, said First Lt. Steffani Cacho, an army spokeswoman.

The Abu Sayyaf has been blamed for a spate of terrorism and kidnappings-for-ransom cases in Basilan and nearby city of Zamboanga.

A total of 23 soldiers died and 18 were wounded, four of them in serious condition, said navy chief Vice Adm. Ferdinand Golez. The slain soldiers were brought to a morgue here. Stunned relatives waited, some quietly weeping; Kazinform cites Arab News. See www.arabnews.com for full version.