18 militants killed in southern Philippines clashes

The military reported at least 18 Abu Sayyaf militants killed and nine others wounded in the more than a week offensive operation in southern Philippines, according to official on Monday.

The fighting continued to erupt Monday afternoon in the areas of Tipo-Tipo town of Basilan Province.

Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesman of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the relentless offensive launched since July, 4 by the Joint Task Force Basilan (JTFB) against Abu Sayyaf Group(ASG) led to the huge militant's casualty figure.

Tan said based on the ground forces reports, at least 18 Abu Sayyaf members were killed and nine were wounded in the series of encounters in the areas of Tipo-Tipo, Al-Barka town and Ungkaya Pukan town.

"Heavy firefight still ongoing as of the moment," Tan said.

He said ground forces have involved armored vehicles, artillery fires and close air support against the militants who attempted to hoist black flags of Islamic States in the area since the other week.

The 400-strong Abu Sayyaf Group, founded in the early 1990s by Islamic extremists, is a violent Muslim terrorist group operating in the southern Philippines. The ASG is notorious for a series of kidnappings, bombings and even beheadings in southern Philippines over the past decades.

The ASG operates mainly in Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi Provinces in the Sulu Archipelago and has a presence on Mindanao. Members also occasionally travel to Manila. Endit