Sulu Province – The operating troops of Special Forces Task Group – Dagger of the 6th Special Forces Battalion under Brigadier General Antonio G. Nafarrete, AFP, Commander, 1101st Infantry Brigade of the 11th Infantry Division clashed with the elements of Abu Sayyaf Group at So Gabang, Brgy. Kaunayan, Patikul, Sulu, around 5 o’clock in the morning, yesterday, April 4, 2020.
The troops encountered more or less thirty (30) fully armed men confirmed under ASG leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan with a firefight that lasted around thirty-five (35) minutes which subsequently overran their tactical lair. With such, the 6th Special Forces Battalion forced the terrorists to flee towards different directions.
Said clash were supported by 1st Scout Ranger and 6th Mechanized Battalions that resulted to the recovery of 90mm Recoiles Rifle (90RR), improvised explosive device materials and other personal belongings. Also, intelligence report confirmed that three ASG members were killed and several wounded during the firefight.
The recent encounter was the result of continuous efforts following the clash of the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion on March 13, 2020 at Brgy. Buhanginan, Patikul, Sulu and the successive surrender of ten (10) ASG members on March 6 and 9, 2020.
Ahmed, Jul, Jimmy, Madz and Kaber who were among the ten surrendered ASG members said that their fear towards the rigorous military combat operations, the declining support from the civilian populace towards the ASG and the hope for a better future have forced them to go back to the folds of the law. According to them, many ASG members are now discontented with their hierarchy who have deceived them to become bandits.
Likewise, this effort was also in line with the recent conducted consultative meeting despite the confronted COVID-19 threat situation on March 31, 2020 facilitated by Colonel Ignatius N. Patrimonio, Commander of 1102nd Infantry Brigade with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that discussed joint mechanism and peace efforts in fighting ASG, declared as persona non grata in support to end the local armed conflict in Sulu.
Major General Corleto S. Vinluan Jr., AFP, Commander of 11th Infantry Division assured that the momentum to eradicate ASG in Sulu will pursue amidst the presence of another concern brought about by COVID-19. “Your soldiers will conduct pursuit operation to eradicate remnants of ASG bandits that hinder further development in Sulu. Let us continue our united efforts together with the stakeholders and local government units to end the confronted local armed conflict despite the confronted COVID-19 situation,” he said.
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