Zamboanga City (CNN Philippines) — AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hernando Iriberri arrived in Zamboanga City Sunday morning (April 10) to look into an encounter between government troops and Abu Sayyaf militants that led to the deaths of 18 soldiers and wounded 56 others in Basilan the previous day.
Five militants were killed during the clash, including a suspected foreign terrorist, Moroccan national Mohammad Khattab, and Ubaida Hapilon, the son of Abu Sayyaf senior leader Isnilon Hapilon.
Read: “Who are the Abu Sayyaf?”
Iriberri arrived with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin past 8 a.m. and proceeded to hold a meeting with officials of the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) including its head Lt. Gen. Mayoralgo dela Cruz.
The AFP chief then went to the Camp Basilio Navarro General Hospital to pin medals on soldiers injured during the clash. The wounded were confined in two military hospitals and two local hospitals in Zamboanga city.
The remains of those killed were brought to Zamboanga City Saturday night.
In a press conference, Iriberri refused to provide further details of the clash nor reply to earlier reports of an ambush on the victims. He said the operations were still ongoing in Basilan.
“There is an encounter going on so there is no clear picture yet,” Iriberri said.
Iriberri also refused to answer queries on who could be held answerable for the incident: “We don’t want to disturb and distract.”
Khatab was described as an IED instructor and jihadist preacher “who is uniting all the lawless armed groups and KFRG’s in Basilan.
The soldiers were reportedly engaged in the encounter by the groups of Isnilon Hapilon, Radzmil Jannatul and Furuji Indama. They were reportedly brought together by the Khatab.
Meanwhile, Iriberri also downplayed reports within the AFP for military officials and personnel to wear black ribbons as a symbol of sympathy to their fallen comrades.
“Kami ay nagluluksa. (We are mourning.) They have given the ultimate sacrifice,” Iriberri said.
