President Duterte aims to ‘crush’ ASG.
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MANILA — Fifteen Philippine soldiers have been killed this week and 12 others wounded in mounting clashes with the militant group Abu Sayyaf, the military said on Tuesday, as the government announced plans to deploy thousands more soldiers to the group’s stronghold in the south.
It said a “series of clashes” had begun on Monday, as the troops scoured jungle terrain on the southern island of Jolo in search of rebel fighters and at least 23 hostages, including a Dutch bird-watcher kidnapped in 2012 and a Norwegian abducted last year from a beach resort he helped manage.
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Source: nytimes.com
