AFP: Scores of ASG members killed, wounded in Sulu fight with government troops

From the Business Mirror (Dec 3): AFP: Scores of ASG members killed, wounded in Sulu fight with government troops

SCORES of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members were believed killed or wounded after government troops bombarded them with mortar on Wednesday night in Sulu in the continuing operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against local terrorist groups and other lawless elements in Mindanao.

The incident was the latest in the skirmishes between government soldiers and members of the ASG, who were being pursued in Sulu following the order last week of President Aquino for soldiers and policemen to intensify their counterterrorism operations in Mindanao.

The bombardment came as the government grapples with the reported presence of foreign jihadists in the south, who were allegedly working with the ASG and other groups allied with the Islamic State (IS) for possible terror activities in the region.

However, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hernando Iriberri earlier assured no terror attack would happen anywhere in the country, as he belied the reported presence of foreign terrorists working with the ASG, the Ansar al Khilafa and other groups.

Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, commander of the military’s Joint Task Group Sulu, said members of the Army’s 32nd Infantry Battalion (IB) noticed a group of the ASG by their light movement toward Barangay Darayan, Patikul, Sulu, at around 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

He said the group was pounded with six rounds of 81mm mortar. The ASG was moving apparently to join the combined group of ASG chieftain Radullan Sahiron and commander Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan encamped and taken up a defensive position in Darayan.

Arojado said an hour-and-a-half later, soldiers also bombarded the camp, which was believed occupied by at least 300 ASG members, with six rounds of artillery fire. The camp was just about 400 meters away from the location of the 32nd IB.

The task group commander said that at around 5 a.m. on Thursday, joint elements of the 32nd IB and the 35 IB conducted clearing operations on the pounded camp and noticed blood stains, along with damaged rifles.

Arrojado said operations against the group of Sahiron were still ongoing as he had directed the 1st and 4th Scout Ranger Battalions to conduct blocking operations on possible withdrawal routes of the bandits.

The 2nd Marine Brigade was also ordered to intensify its operation in the outskirts of the town of Indanan.

Military operations against the ASG and other lawless groups in Sulu have been ongoing for the past two months, as soldiers were running after Sawadjaan and his group are reportedly behind the kidnapping of two Canadians and a Norwegian in a resort in Samal Island, Davao del Norte.

The victims were reportedly taken to Sulu and are being kept by the combined group of Sahiron, Sawadjaan and other subcommanders of the ASG.

The government intensified its operations after the ASG reportedly beheaded its Malaysian captive Bernard Then while the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit was being held in Manila two weeks ago, and after President Aquino ordered an all-out campaign against bandit groups in Mindanao.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/afp-scores-of-asg-members-killed-wounded-in-sulu-fight-with-government-troops/