2 Abus killed in clash with gov’t troops

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines — A suspected subleader of the Abu Sayyaf Group and one of his men were killed in an encounter on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 23, in Barangay Bakong, Patikul town, Sulu.

Maj. Arvin John Encinas, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command, identified the killed Abus as Taullah Abdurasa, otherwise known as Amah Ollah, and Baby Ollah.

Abdurasa was a subleader of an Abu Sayyaf faction under Radulan Sahiron and a close colleague of Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan.

Encinas said troops from the 15th Scout Ranger Company encountered around 40 Abu fighters.

Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of Western Mindanao Command, said two soldiers were wounded in the fierce gun battle that broke out around 1:30 p.m.

Mortar teams immediately delivered fire support to the scout rangers, said Sobejana.

Sobejana added that pursuit offensives continue, aimed at imposing pressure and pounding down the bandits, which the military sought to decimate by end of March this year.

Sobejana assured the public the bandits’ movement had been constricted and their terror plots preempted.

/atm