Seven Suspected Abu Sayyaf Members Killed in Sulu
Five men and two women, all are suspected to be a member of the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf died in the military raid at an island of Siasi in Sulu province at dawn on Sunday, March 7, 2010 (Philippine Time). One Marine soldier is wounded.
According to the commander of the military’s Joint Task Force Comet, Brig. Gen. Rustico Guerrero the dead Abu Sayyaf combatants have close links with Zulkipli Bin Hir, alias Marwan, a high ranking leader of the international terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) who is reportedly hiding in the Philippines since 2003.
Brig. Gen. Guerrero said that the terrorists they encountered are believed to be part of the group of Marwan, a Malaysian who allegedly heads the Kumpulun Mujahidin Malaysia terror group and is a member of the JI’s central command. Marwan is reportedly training Abu Sayyaf members on bomb-making in Mindanao.
Seven suspected members of terrorist group Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), including 2 women, died while a Marine soldier was wounded following a raid at an island in Siasi town in Sulu at dawn Sunday, a military commander reported.
Brig. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, commander of the military’s Joint Task Force Comet, said the slain terrorists have close links with Zulkipli Bin Hir, alias Marwan, a ranking leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) who is reportedly hiding in the Philippines since 2003.
Guerrero said the encountered terrorists are believed to be part of the cell of Marwan, a Malaysian who allegedly heads the Kumpulun Mujahidin Malaysia terror group and is a member of the JI’s central command. He is reportedly training ASG elements on bomb-making in Mindanao.
However, Guerrero said they have no immediate information on whether there were JI elements with the Abu Sayyaf men during the raid that was conducted by elements of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 6 at Siasi island, particularly at the village of Pookan, in Laminusa Island, at around 3:47 a.m.
He said the initial fighting with the terrorists, believed to be under Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Benhur, alias Boy Tondo, lasted for about 10 minutes.
Military troops are now conducting a clearing operation in the presence of some village officials for the official
turn-over of dead bodies in the area.
Last Febuary 21, marine soldiers assaulted a lair of the Abu Sayyaf in Maimbung town, resulting in the killing of Abu Sayyaf leader Albader Parad and 5 of his men. A Marine soldier died and three others were injured.
Top military officials said the killing of Parad was a big blow to the ASG, noting that he was responsible for a number of high-profile kidnappings, including 2 foreigneers and a Filipino worker of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) last year.
