KUALA LUMPUR: Philippine troops are reportedly closing in on the Abu Sayyaf holding several kidnap victims, including five Malaysians, after killing two leaders of a gang affiliated to the terror group.
The soldiers from the Joint Task Force Sulu killed brothers Nixon and Brown Muktadil of the Muktadil Gang early yesterday in Tambulian Island when the armed duo resisted arrest, the Philippine Embassy here said in a statement quoting a spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command.
Nixon, the leader of the gang, Brown and others were involved in a series of kidnappings for ransom which victimised 26 Filipinos, Malaysians and Indonesians, it said.
“The fall of the Muktadil brothers is a major blow to the Abu Sayyaf Group, as the siblings served as sea guides and navigators during the group’s conduct of kidnappings in the high seas,” the embassy said quoting the spokesman.
On July 18, the five Malaysians were abducted by Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Lahad Datu waters off the Sabah east coast.
The statement said the Philippine authorities earlier arrested or “neutralised” other members of the Muktadil gang.
“Another brother, Mindas, was killed in a shootout with law enforcement officials in Jolo, Sulu, in May last year. Khadafy Muktadil was arrested in November last year, also in Jolo, and is currently in jail,” the statement said.
The Philippine National Police rendered a further blow to the Abu Sayyaf logistics support network with its busting of a gun-running syndicate supplying high-powered guns and ammunition to the group and its seizure of a cache of M203 grenade launchers, M14s, M16s and thousands of rounds of ammunition, worth six million Pesos (about RM513,000).
The syndicate head, Unding Kenneth Isa, and three accomplices were arrested on Sept 24 in San Juan City in Metro Manila, it said.
The statement said the law enforcement operations against the Muktadil Gang was a manifestation of the determination of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Administration “to safely recover all kidnap victims and put an end to the atrocities and terrorism that had been perpetrated by these lawless elements for years”.
It said that upon the instructions of President Duterte, nine police and military battalions, comprising some 9,000 personnel, had been deployed to and were conducting concerted security and law enforcement operations in suspected Abu Sayyaf hideouts in the island provinces of Sulu and Basilan.
A significant number of unregistered motorised boats had been confiscated in recent days in Sulu and nearby waters, hampering the potential movements of Abu Sayyaf elements.
A blockade by Philippine Navy elements was also in place.
As a result, 21 Abu Sayyaf Group members surrendered and laid down their arms on Sept 23, in Sumisip, Basilan, the statement said.
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen Ricardo Visaya stated that there would be no let-up in the offensives against the Abu Sayyaf terror and kidnap group, and there was no deadline to the operations.
The troops would remain in the area until the objective was accomplished. – Bernama