BASILAN - Four people, including a minor, were injured when gunmen attacked a government militia sparking a firefight that left him and family members wounded in the restive Muslim province of Basilan in southern Philippines.
The fighting occurred Sunday evening when a group of gunmen, believed to be Abu Sayyaf members, raided the village and attacked a military detachment manned by Romy Alanao, 36.
The militia was with his wife Hasma and daughter Nasira, and a ten-year old nephew when the gunmen assaulted the post. The motive of the attack is still unknown, but the Abu Sayyaf has previously target not only security personnel but civilian targets as well.
Despite the latest attack in the province, security officials said the Abu Sayyaf is now a spent force following the weekend surrender of 21 extremists in Patikul town in Sulu province, about 58 nautical miles from Basilan.
A photo released by the Western Mindanao Command shows the 21 Abu Sayyaf terrorists following their surrender on Sunday, January 8, 2023 in Sulu province.
“We are hopeful that the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu will soon be defeated and peace and order in the province of Sulu will be fully restored,” said Marine Brig. Gen. Arturo Rojas, the acting chief of the Western Mindanao Command.
He said among those who surrendered were senior Abu Sayyaf and local ISIS leaders Majid Said and Jamiri Jauhari. They also handed over seven M14 and three M16 automatic rifles.
Rojas said the military and the local government provided financial assistance to the extremists who are now in a temporary relocation site.
“I’m very happy with this development. We were anticipating this already because of the well-integrated civil and military strategy of the campaign plan. Moreover, because of the whole of nation approach, we are able to get the support of the populace towards the government side and we have continuously drained the ASG of the much-needed support to them. Also, we were able to isolate them and stopped their recruitment efforts,” he said.
“I commend once again our dedicated soldiers for their unyielding commitment to the mission. I know this was a long process of confidence building efforts before they were convinced to lay down their arms,” he added.
Rojas said the successful surrender of the extremists was a result of the collaborative efforts of the 32nd and 45th Infantry Battalions, the 6th Special Forces Battalion, the Sulu Provincial Police Office, and the police and military intelligence in Sulu. (Mindanao Examiner)
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