Militant escapes assault by PH troops

MANILA, Philippines — A commander of the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group wanted by Washington has escaped an assault by elite Filipino troops on a southern island, a military spokesman said Friday.

Farther south, the death toll from a homemade bomb explosion blamed on the group Thursday has risen to four after one of the wounded died in the hospital overnight, the local mayor said.

Government troops halted their pursuit Thursday for Khair Mundos, his deputy Puruji Indama and about 15 fighters after they fled toward local communities on Sacol island off Zamboanga city, about 540 miles (860 kilometers) south of Manila, Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang said.

“We just withdrew to avoid civilians being caught in the middle,” he told The Associated Press. “We will get them next time.”

The 30-strong special operations troops, backed by rocket-firing helicopter gunships, withdrew late Thursday after seizing the militants’ food and water supplies, he said.

“We believe they were still there when we left,” Cabangbang said.

The Abu Sayyaf is on the U.S. list of terrorist groups, blamed by Washington for deadly attacks on American troops and civilians in the southern Philippines. American counterterrorism troops have been stationed there since 2002.

The State Department has offered a $500,000 reward for the killing or capture of Mundos. U.S. authorities say he has worked as a financier of the Abu Sayyaf. Mundos, who is based on Basilan Island near Zamboanga, leads one of four key Abu Sayyaf factions.

The Philippine military says the group has 410 fighters who have carried out deadly bomb attacks, ransom kidnappings and beheadings.