8 more casualties in Sulu air raid identified

MANILA, Philippines—The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday said it has identified the eight others killed during an airstrike in Sulu.

Colonel Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos said that one of the fatalities was identified as Moammar Jumdail alias “Ting,” son of Ahmad Umba Jumdail alias “Doctor Abu”, one of the founders and senior members of the Abu Sayyaf group who was also killed in the US-backed air raid on Thursday.

Others were identified as Tati Jamhali, Tuan Nash Lipae, alias “Leong”, alias “Teng”, alias “Muin”, and alias “Julpe”, all members of the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group. Another casualty, identified only as a certain “Jumong”, was a suspected Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) operative.

Two other JI operatives killed in the airstrike were identified as Zulkipli Bin Abdul Hir alias “Marwan” and Anjala alias “Mauiya.”

Burgos said that 11 out of the 15 fatalities have been identified so far while the identities of the remaining four have not yet been confirmed.

Philippine National Police Scene of the Crime Operatives are already in the area to perform DNA testing to get proof of the identity of the bodies, Burgos said.

The airstrike was conducted in Barangay Duyan Kabau, Parang town in Sulu to at around 3 a.m. Thursday by two OV-10 bombers using four 260-lb bombs.

Burgos said there were about 30 Abu Sayyaf members who survived the attacks and are now the subject of manhunt operations by the military.