Abu Sayyaf camp overrun by RP troops<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Zamboanga, Philippines<\/p>\n
Philippine troops have overrun an Abu Sayyaf guerrilla camp on
\nthe southern island of Basilan following a clash that left five
\ngunmen dead, an official said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Army soldiers stumbled onto the camp near Basilan's Lantawan
\ntown on Saturday, Colonel Roland Detabali said.<\/p>\n
By nightfall, the soldiers had forced their way into the camp
\nand recovered the bodies of five Abu Sayyaf rebels after their
\ncomrades fled into surrounding jungle, Detabali said.<\/p>\n
"Pursuit operation is ongoing and we expect more clashes any
\ntime," he said.<\/p>\n
There was no sign of three hostages held by the Muslim
\nguerrillas: U.S. Christian missionary couple Martin and Gracia
\nBurnham and Filipina nurse Deborah Yap.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Martin's father, Paul Burnham, and the couple's
\nchildren aired an emotional appeal over a local radio station for
\nthe safe and swift release of the hostages.<\/p>\n
"We are hoping that they will be released soon. The children
\nreally do miss their parents," Paul Burnham told Radio Mindanao
\nNetwork.<\/p>\n
John Paul Burnham, one of the hostage couple's children, said:
\n"I just wanted to let the captors of my parents know that I
\nreally miss them a lot.<\/p>\n
"I miss my mom and I miss my dad. So if you could please let
\nthem free. Please let them go. Dad and mom, if you are listening
\nnow, I want you to know that I love and miss you and pray for you
\nevery day."<\/p>\n
The Abu Sayyaf, which has been linked to the al-Qaeda network
\nof Osama bin Laden, is now the subject of joint U.S.-Philippine
\nmilitary operations on Basilan.<\/p>\n
Some 660 U.S. special forces troops are assisting the Filipino
\nmilitary in its hunt against the rebels.<\/p>",
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