Three suspected suicide bombers of the Abu Sayyaf Group were killed in a military encounter in Indanan, Sulu, on Tuesday.
According to the military, those killed include two Egyptian nationals and a Filipino.
The foreigners were identified only by the names Abduramil and Abdurahman, which were believed to be a father and son.
According to Western Mindanao Commander Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the three terrorists were about to carry out suicide bombings when they were stopped by members of the Philippine Army at a checkpoint in Barangay Kan Islam at 5:00 pm.
The Sulu Abu Sayyaf suicide bombers fired at the soldiers and took. The military and the suspects exchanged fires, which lasted for about five minutes.
The military is confirming whether two Egyptians are related to a female suicide bomber who attacked a military outpost in Sulu in September.
Suicide bombing in Sulu
A female bomber died in another suicide bombing attack on a military detachment in Sulu, September 8.
The said attacker was wearing a traditional black Muslim gown and looked like a foreigner.
Military officials said that the militant tried to enter a detachment in Indanan town, Sulu province. The bomber failed and died when the bomb the militant was carrying exploded. As of today, the incident was already the third suicide attack in Sulu this year.
Regional military chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said the bomber failed to enter the detachment due to tight security.
Lt. Col. Gerard Monfort, a military spokesman in Sulu said that the troops took cover and assumed combat positions when the bomber refused to move away from the outpost’s gate. The bomb bulged in the militant’s gown.
“A wary soldier yelled at the militant to ‘go away, go away’ and other soldiers who heard him took cover and assumed combat positions,” Monfort said. “Then, an explosion killed the militant.”