Military says it is closing in on Usman’s group

MANILA, Philippines—The military said it was closing in on terrorist Basit Usman’s group amid its all-out offensives in Maguindanao.

“With our current deployment naniniwala tayo na nandun lang sila (we believe they are just there) within the area of operations … It’s [only] a matter of time na matumbok natin ang mismong kinaroroonan (we get to their exact location),” Armed Forces Public Affairs Office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said on Tuesday.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines is doing an all-out offensive against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao, and it is also hunting down Usman, who evaded police arrest in the town of Mamasapano on January. The primary target, Zulkfli bin Hir alias Marwan, was killed in the operations.

Usman, who was allegedly coddled by the BIFF, was said to be moving with five terrorists—four Indonesian nationals and one Arab-looking chemist.

On Sunday, the military captured a bomb factory of the BIFF in Mamasapano, an encampment where Marwan and Usman could have possibly trained BIFF fighters.