2020 OPERATIONS

55 Abu Sayyaf members killed since January, AFP says

A total of 55 members of the Abu Sayyaf Group have been killed since January of this year, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Tuesday.

Data from the military indicated that from January 1 to September 30, a total of 78 bandits from Eastern and Western Mindanao have surrendered to government forces while six others were arrested.

“The many successes of our operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group and its affiliate organizations can be attributed to the strong support of the national leadership, interagency cooperation, and the soldiers’ high state of morale,” AFP chief Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay said in a press statement.

The military also seized a total of 97 high-powered and low-powered firearms, seven improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and nine encampments from the local terror group.

Earlier, Gapay said the military is aiming to stop the operations of the group by the end of the year.

BIFF, Maute

On the other hand, the AFP said it is also "winning" against other local terrorist groups and their supporters, including the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the ISIS-inspired Maute group.

“These local terrorists who operate in the south continue to embrace the Daesh narrative and assimilate its barbarism in the guise of religion. But the peace-loving Filipinos already reject this Daesh violence and have extended their full support to the government and the AFP in its fight against terrorists,” Gapay said.

Since the beginning of the year, a total of  28 BIFFs were killed, 134 surrendered and 20 were arrested, according to the AFP. It added that 147 firearms, 15 IEDs, and three encampments were seized from them.

Meanwhile, a total of 24 Maute members were killed, 15 surrendered, and five were nabbed. Government forces also confiscated 30 firearms, 31 IEDs, and 17 encampments from the said group.

Gapay had said the military could eradicate other local terror groups before President Rodrigo Duterte's term ends.

"The AFP with the help of all stakeholders and guided by the National Action Plan to prevent/counter violent extremism, will sustain its momentum against the terror group ASG and other local terrorist groups," Gapay said.

"We will not tolerate any attempt to sow violent ideologies and will make use of all available technologies to put an end to the spread of violent extremism,” he added. — RSJ, GMA News