Joint Task Force Sulu: Safety of Abu Sayyaf hostages a 'top concern'

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 4): Joint Task Force Sulu: Safety of Abu Sayyaf hostages a 'top concern'

The Joint Task Force Sulu (JTFS) assured Tuesday that the safety of the hostages is of "primary concern" amid the intensified "focused military operation" (FMO) against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the province of Sulu.

Col. Cirilito Sobejana, JTFS commander, made the assurance as he revealed that they are tightening the noose around the Abu Sayyaf bandits in the town of Talipao.

“There are positive indicators,” Sobejana told the Philippines News Agency when asked if the assault team sighted any kidnapped victims in their ongoing focused military operation against the Abu Sayyaf bandits that started on Sunday.

The ongoing FMO in Talipao targets the group of Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan. It is not clear if how many of the 28 hostages is being held by the group of Sawadjaan.

The hostages consist of 12 Vietnamese, nine Filipinos, seven Indonesians and a Dutch.

“Our operation is sustained, non-stop. We recovered two high-powered firearms and one dead ASG member,” Sobejana said.

“From the bloodstains we’ve seen on the ground, we are sure that the ASG suffered heavy casualties,” Sobejana said.

The offensive, which started on Sunday, left 32 soldiers from the 41st Infantry Battalion wounded.

“Troops were advancing towards their target when M-203 rounds were directed towards them, causing shrapnel wounds to the forward flank of the operating troops. However, the soldiers were still able to maneuver and take the advantage, pushing the bandits to scamper to different directions after hours of firefight,” a statement from the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said.

“Our Joint Task Force Sulu continues to exhaust all efforts and means to contain the Abu Sayyaf and constrict its movement. We are continuously intensifying the conduct of focused military operations, in coordination with the local government and the people of Sulu, to rescue the kidnap victims and to neutralize the terrorist group," Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Westmincom chief, said.

“We are confident that we can achieve this with the support of the people of Sulu and the local government,” he added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=977453