By Hader Hlang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines (AA) - At least four soldiers have been injured in an explosion in the troubled southern Philippine island province known as a stronghold of a Daesh-linked militant group.
Maj. Filemon Tan, Western Mindanao Command spokesman, said in a statement Monday that and improvised explosive device went out while troops conducting foot patrol in Lamitan City in majority Muslim Basilan.
He said the wounded were immediately evacuated by reinforcing troops to Lamitan Hospital and later airlifted to Zamboanga City for further medical attention.
Police are assisting the military in carrying out an investigation and pursuit operations.
News broadcaster ABS-CBN reported that military suspects Abu Sayyaf fighters planted the explosive as part of the group’s counter-attacks against government forces conducting an all-out offensive.
Several members of the group -- including Moton Indama, a sub-commander based in Sumisip town -- had earlier surrendered.
The military has blamed the group for the recent abduction of six sailors from a Vietnamese-flagged vessel off Basilan as well as a German man -- whose partner was shot dead -- from a yacht off the neighboring island province of Sulu.
Since 1991, the Abu Sayyaf -- armed with mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles -- has carried out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortions in a self-determined fight for an independent province in the Philippines.
It is notorious for beheading victims after ransoms have failed to be paid for their release.
The Abu Sayyaf is among two militant groups in the south who have pledged allegiance to Daesh, prompting fears during the stalling of a peace process between the government and the country's one-time largest Moro rebel group that it could make inroads in a region torn by decades of armed conflict.