Six suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and a Marine were killed while three other soldiers were wounded in a fierce encounter between government troops and the Al Qaeda-linked bandit group early Sunday morning in Sulu, the military said.

Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, Navy spokesman, said the clash occurred at around 7 a.m. in the vicinity of Sitio Kandang Tukay, Karawan, in the town of Maimbung.

Arevalo said an elite composite group from the 2nd and 3rd Marine Brigades under the operational control of Joint Task Force Comet based in Sulu engaged the bandit group believed led by Albader Parad and a certain Dr. Abu.

The Marines were aided by a naval barrier from patrol gunboats of the Navy and close air support from assault aircrafts of the Air Force during the two-hour fierce encounter which was initiated by the government troopers.

“As a result of the decisive surgical combat operations, the bodies of six dead terrorists were recovered. Four firearms were also recovered – a Belgian FN Rifle, two M203 grenade launchers, and a Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW),” said Arevalo.

As of noon Sunday, latest information from the field showed that a Marine was also killed in the firefight. Three others from the government side who were wounded were immediately evacuated and brought to a military hospital in Camp Bautista.

“This is a severe blow against the Abu Sayyaf leadership and a major victory for the peace-loving people of Sulu who have been cooperating with our Marines by providing vital information about the bandit group,” said Arevalo.

The Navy spokesman said the encounter was the result of a series of operations by the Fleet-Marine Team backed by Air Force assault aircrafts against the bandits.

“This law enforcement action by the Marines came in the heels of the atrocities the bandit ASG continue to perpetrate,” he added.

“The Navy leadership will continue to spearhead operations to hunt down the remnants of the terrorist group following the case build-up that led to the arrest of Jumdail Arad in Pier 2, North Harbor, Manila Thursday last week,” said Arevalo.

Arevalo was referring to the arrest of Arad, who carries a P600,000 reward on his head. Arad was involved in the 2001 Dos Palmas resort abduction of 20 people, including the American missionary couple, Gracia and Martin Burnham, by the ASG.

Arevalo said based on a report by Brig. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, Task Force Comet commander, to Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, Commandant of Phil Marines Corps, an two-hour fierce firefight ensued between the government forces and the bandits.