Sayyaf leader, cousin of bomb expert, slain in clash with Army in Sulu

A sub-leader of the homegrown terror group Abu Sayyaf Group, Arsibar Sawadjaan, was killed in a clash with government soldiers in Sulu province on Monday (Sept. 28). JTF Sulu

MANILA, Philippines—A leader of the homegrown terror group Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) was killed in a clash with government soldiers in Sulu province on Monday (Sept. 28), according to the military.

The slain ASG leader was identified as Arsibar Sawadjaan, said to be a cousin of bomb expert Mundi Sawadjaan, the suspected mastermind of the Aug. 24 bombings in Jolo, which killed 17 people and wounded more than 70 others.

The Army’s 45th Infantry Battalion clashed with the groups of Sawadjaan and another ASG leader, Radulan Sahiron, at the village of Maligay in Patikul town around 9 a.m., said Joint Task Force Sulu, a military-led law enforcement group, in a statement.

Soldiers encountered at least 40 ASG members but suffered no casualty, the task force said.

TSB