Philippines: Marines Kill Abu Sayyaf Sub-leader

Philippine Marines in a military operation in Mindanao.

Zamboanga, Philippines, MINA – Philippine marines killed Badong Muktadil, a sub-leader of Daesh-linked Abu Sayyaf group, in an encounter in Sulu late Saturday, Anadolu Agency reported, citing Joint Task Force Sulu commander Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana.

Sobejana said the troops encountered the group of Muktadil off Silangkan village in Parang town around midnight after local residents reported the presence of militants.

Muktadil’s body has been brought to a hospital in Jolo town.

The death of the sub-leader is a major loss for the terror group, Sobejana said.

“The neutralization of Badong is another big setback on the Abu Sayyaf group particularly on their kidnapping and terroristic activities making the residents in Sulu felt some sort of relief from the threat posed by Badong’s group,” Sobejana was quoted by Rappler as saying on Sunday.

Muktadil and his group are behind the hijacking of a cargo ship off Tawi-Tawi province last February in which a Vietnamese crew was killed and six others were taken hostage.

It was also Muktadil’s group that kidnapped Taiwanese tourist whose husband they had killed at a Malaysian resort last November 2013.

Standing warrants of arrest on Muktadil and his group is up for kidnapping, illegal detention, and murder, Sobejana added.

Abu-Sayyaf group, one of the four homegrown militants in the Philippines that swore allegiance to Daesh, is armed with mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles — has carried out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortion in a self-determined fight for an independent province in the Philippines.

One of its leaders, Isnilon Hapilon is allegedly the appointed emir of Daesh in Southeast Asia and has led the Marawi attack on May 23 together with the Maute group.

President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the entire island of Mindanao under martial law until the year’s end. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)