An Army soldier was killed while six fellow troops and two civilians, including a child, were injured after armed men ambushed a military convoy in Lamitan City, Basilan, on Thursday night.
The Army’s 1101st Infantry Brigade reported that elements of the 45th Infantry Battalion were traveling along Barangay Sabong past 6:00 p.m. en route to their headquarters in Ungkaya Pukan when gunmen opened fire.
The troops were returning from a local port after picking up arriving personnel when the attack occurred.
Seven soldiers initially sustained gunshot wounds in the burst of fire. One victim succumbed to severe injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Zamboanga City early Friday morning.
A father and his 10-year-old son were also caught in the crossfire and rushed to a medical facility for treatment.
Military officials said the identity and headcount of the assailants remain unconfirmed due to low visibility during the night attack.
Investigators are currently assessing whether the perpetrators belong to the same armed syndicate responsible for the October 5 ambush in nearby Tipo-Tipo town, which wounded 11 soldiers.
That earlier strike was linked to a drug trafficking group led by a suspect identified as Saddam Siddick, who allegedly sought retaliation following his wife’s death during a law enforcement operation in Lamitan City on September 29.