Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Government troops kill ASG kidnap cell leader

From the Manila Bulletin (Oct 10): Government troops kill ASG kidnap cell leader

Government troops in Tawi-Tawi killed on Sunday morning a bandit leader who is a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and also leader of a kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) cell involved in the kidnapping of a German national in November 2016.
 
Reports from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi identified the killed bandit leader as Guro Idzri alias Idris.
 
Operating elements of Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi were conducting a Law Enforcement Operation (LEO) at Sitio Suwang Kagang, Brgy. Pasiagan, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi when they encountered Idzri.

The Joint Task Force is composed of members from the 2nd Marine Brigade, Mechanized Infantry Division, 9th Marine Battalion Landing Team, and Bonggao Municipal Police Station.

“When the troops were about to serve the warrant of arrest, Idzri fired at them using his caliber .45 pistol prompting our troops to fire back,” said Brigadier General Custodio Parcon Jr, commander of the Joint Task Force Tawi-tawi.

The wounded bandit was immediately brought to Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial hospital by members of the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB), but he was declared dead on arrival there.

Among the items recovered from Idzri were a Caliber 45 pistol, a magazine loaded with five bullets and two empty shells. The JTF-Tawi Tawi turned-over all recovered items to the Bonggao Muncipal Police Station for proper disposition.

Kidnap for ransom leader
Before the encounter, Idzri had been monitored studying a prospective kidnap victim at the construction site of a diesel power plant in Brgy Pahut, Bonggao, Tawi-Tawi.

Idzri, formerly a member of the Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf under Muamar Askali, was suspected to have been involved in the kidnapping of German national, Jurgen Kantner, who was beheaded early this year.
 
Lieutenant General Carlito G Galvez, Jr., commander of the AFP Western Mindanao Command, said: “The very good collaboration among our security sector, the local government unit and the peace-loving people in Tawi-tawi resulted to this recent success.”

“As long as everyone is united in fighting criminality and terrorism, evil will never be able to thrive in a community. I congratulate every marine, army, sailor, airman, policeman and other members of the security forces in Tawi-tawi Province for a job well done,” he added.

ASG man surrenders

Meanwhile, in Sulu, a machine gunner of the ASG surrendered to government troops, turning over his caliber.30 machine gun.
 
JTF-Sulu Commander Brig Gen Cirilito Sobejana identified the ASG member as Jul Asbi Misuari alias Imbuh.

Misuari surrendered to the task force at about 10 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7. His surrender was facilitated by the 545ECB, supported by personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard Guard-Sulu.

Misuari was a trusted follower of Alhabsy Misaya, who was killed in a shootout with soldiers of the JTF- Sulu in Indanan, Sulu.
 
He served as the local contact of the Abu Sayyaf and kidnap for ransom groups in the island of Bangui-ngui.

Contemplating surrender
“Misuari revealed that there are more Abu Sayyaf members who are already contemplating surrender as a result of the relentless operations and pressure employed by the JTF Sulu to neutralize the Abu Sayyaf and kidnap for ransom members, particularly at their staging areas in the islands of Sulu,” said Sobejana.

Current efforts are now being exerted by the JTF SULU to facilitate the surrender of other Abu Sayyaf members under the group of Misuari.

“At the start of the year, focused military operations of the different Joint Task Forces were intensified to defeat the Abu Sayyaf, constricting the movements of the bandits and compelling them to surrender to our forces,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines, Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom) Commander Lt Gen Carlito G. Galvez, Jr.

In Sulu, 24 ASG members have already surrendered since January of this year.
 

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