Sayyaf leader urging soldiers to finish him off after Sulu clash arrested instead

Amah Ullah, one of the leaders of Abu Sayyaf in the group’s lair in Sulu, is brought to hospital after being wounded in clash with soldiers. PHOTO FROM 6TH SPECIAL FORCES BATTALION

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A leader of Abu Sayyaf was captured on Thursday (Nov. 12) after a clash with government soldiers in Sulu province, where the homegrown terror group is known to have a lair.

Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., head of the Western Mindanao Command, said Amah Ullah was arrested following the clash at the village of Latih in Patikul. He is uncle and adviser of Basaron Arok, one of the lower-level leaders of Abu Sayyaf.

Lt. Col. Rafael Caido, head of the Army’s 6th Special Forces Battalion, said Ullah was wounded in the leg and unable to flee.

Ullah, according to Caido, was determined to fight and shouting at soldiers to finish him off.

The soldiers subdued Ullah, applied first aid treatment and captured him instead, said Caido.

Ullah was brought to the Camp General Teodolfo Bautista Station Hospital in Jolo town.

Caido said Ullah would be given debriefing while recovering at the hospital.

Vinluan said the Ullah that soldiers captured was not related to Roland Ullah, a cook and dive instructor in Sipadan, Malaysia, who had been kidnapped and freed in 2003.

Edited by TSB