Military braces for retaliatory attack from Abu Sayyaf

Published June 14, 2021 05:42 PM By JULIA MARI ORNEDO,GMA News

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is bracing for a retaliatory attack from the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) after state forces killed a sub-leader and three other members of the rebel group, the Western Mindanao Command chief said Monday.

Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan said that aside from AFP detachments, soldiers and police have also been deployed to Metro Jolo in Sulu province to prevent possible retaliatory attacks.

Vinluan added that health protocols against COVID-19, such as the ban on mass gatherings, are working to the advantage of state forces who are on alert.

“Expected ‘yun, expected (retaliatory attacks) pero prepared naman ‘yung tropa natin, actually hinahabol habol pa rin natin ‘yung si Mundi [Sawadjaan] e,” he said in an interview.

(Retaliatory attacks are expected but our troops are prepared. Though, we are still chasing down Mundi Sawadjaan right now.)

Mudzrimar “Mundi” Sawadjaan is believed to be the brains behind the 2020 bombing attacks in Jolo that killed 15 people and injured over 70 others.

Mundi’s youngest brother, Al-Al Sawadjaan, was among the three rebels killed

on Sunday along with ASG sub-leader Injam Yadah. Yadah’s wife, Jhing, was also captured while three of their children were rescued.

Vinluan said only Mundi is still alive out of the seven Sawadjaan siblings. Four of them were killed in 2020 and two were slain this year.

AFP chief lauds Sulu troops

In a separate statement, AFP chief General Cirilito Sobejana lauded troops in Sulu over the killing of the ASG rebels.

“Their accomplishments here brings us closer to our goal of putting an end to the menace of terrorism brought by the ASG and other local terrorist groups in the southern Philippines,” he said.

The AFP said 292 local terrorists have been killed, captured or apprehended, or surrendered so far this year.

This figure includes 119 ASG rebels from Sulu, 26 from Basilan, seven from Tawi-Tawi, and three from Zamboanga.

The AFP also said 100 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, 13 from the DI-Turaife group, and 24 from the DI-Maute group were neutralized this year. — DVM, GMA News

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