MANILA, Philippines — Four members of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) were killed in a shootout with soldiers in Sulu on Sunday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.
PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar identified those killed as Injam Yaddah, Al-Al Saawdjaan, an alias “Rauf” or “Raup” and another still-unidentified suspect.
Police said Jenalyn Jairi, Yaddah’s wife, was also arrested after the firefight.
Eleazar said Yaddah was involved in the kidnappings of several foreign nationals, the most recent of which was the kidnapping of Rex Triplitt in Sirawai, Zamboanga Sibugay in September 2020, and the taking of five Indonesians in Malaysia in January 2020.
Police said Swadjaan is the brother of ASG bomb maker Mundi Sawadjaan and is a volunteer suicide bomber.
According to reports from the Police Regional Office of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, at about 1:30 a.m. soldiers were at Upper Alat, Barangay (village) Alat, Jolo, Sulu to serve Injam and the other suspects their arrest warrants for kidnapping for ransom when the firefight happened.
“During the entry in the area, the target personalities fired upon the operating troops of the 3LRC, LRR, PA which prompted them to take necessary actions that resulted in the neutralization of the four suspects,” Eleazar said.
The bodies of the slain ASG terrorists were brought to the headquarters of the 11th Infantry Division in Jolo, Sulu, for processing and proper disposition.
Recovered from the encounter site were a loaded M16 rifle, a loaded caliber .45 pistol, components of an improvised explosive device, a cell phone, a red Honda XRM motorcycle, detonating cords, and a blasting cap.
“While we perform our primary obligation to serve and protect our people, it is also our duty to give our best in the government’s fight against communist insurgency and terrorism as we implement the Intensified Cleanliness Policy,” Eleazar said.
“Cooperative efforts to quell threats by terrorism and communist insurgency in the country are likewise undertaken with the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Eleazar added.