Philippine army kills 2 Abu Sayyaf terrorists in manhunt for leaders

They were killed after an Indonesian boy was rescued from the Abu Sayyaf Group.

BASILAN: The Philippine military on Tuesday (June 6) killed two Abu Sayyaf terror group (ASG) members during a continuous manhunt for their two highly wanted subleaders in the southern province of Basilan, an operation which recently rescued an Indonesian boy held by one of them.

One member of the Sulu-based pro-IS Abu Sayyaf faction under subleader Mudzrimar @ Mundi Sawadjaan and another from the Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf Group under subleader Pasil Bayali @ Kera were killed in Sumisip municipality, according to a military statement Wednesday (June 7).

The focused military operation was conducted by the Joint Task Force Basilan in the wee hours of Tuesday at Sitio Talisay, Upper Benembengan village, targeting the two notorious ASG subleaders.

Clearing operations followed, which resulted in the recovery of the two dead terrorists in Pamatsaken village.

Col. Frederick Sales, acting commander of the Joint Task Force Basilan, in the statement, identified the slain terrorists as Mundi’s follower known as Dodong and Kera’s follower known as Boy.

Their bodies were turned over to the Upper Benembengan village chairman and Sumisip police for proper disposition.

The continuous operation located Mundi's harbouring position on Saturday, resulting in the rescue of the 15-year-old Indonesian boy identified as the son of an Indonesian couple tagged in the twin suicide bombing of a Sulu church in 2019.

The military earlier said they feared the teenager had been indoctrinated into terrorism by Mundi.

His older sister, a minor in 2021, was rescued also by the Philippine military in that year while his eldest sister was caught and is now serving time in a Philippine prison for terrorist acts.

Mundi is also believed to have been responsible for making the improvised bombs used in the 2019 Sulu church and other attacks.

“Your armed forces will not stop their military operations until the terror groups are completely crushed," said Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, the commander of the Western Mindanao Command, in the statement.

"We have highly motivated and committed forces currently deployed to eliminate the threats and secure the communities in Basilan.”