Military believes foreign terrorist may have been killed in fighting to free Abu Sayyaf kidnap victims

May 14, 2018

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez said a foreign terrorist is possibly one of those killed during the ongoing military operation against the Abu Sayyaf Group to free their captives, including two policewomen, in Sulu.

He said based on the report one of the recovered bodies of the terrorist is foreign looking.

“I was told again by our Joint Task Force Sulu that there is an ongoing encounter for the second time and we have recovered three body counts. One of them we believe is the son of Sawadjaan and suspicious foreign terrorist,” he said in an interview in Camp Aguinaldo Monday.

Galvez said the military is validating their identities.

“The report is still in the process of validation....what JTF Sulu Commander (Brig.) Gen. (Cirilito) Sobejana told me is (that) he is foreign looking guy, we are still looking into it,” he said.

Sobejana said two soldiers were killed while 12  were wounded in an encounter with the Abu Sayyaf in the vicinity of Sitio Kan Alas, Brgy. Tanum, Patikul town around Sunday.

He said 10 Abu Sayyaf members were reported killed and two were wounded.

“This is relation with our continuing rescue operations of the hostages being undertaken and being secured by the Abu Sayyaf,” he said.

The Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf are holding captives 12 hostages. Seven are Filipinos and the rest are three Indonesians, one Vietnamese and one Dutchman. Robina Asido/DMS