ZAMBOANGA CITY – An Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader, who is known to behead hostages, and three of his followers were killed in a clash during a law enforcement operation in the province of Sulu, the military announced on Monday.
Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, commander of the 11th Infantry Division, said the clash took place around 2 a.m. Sunday in Barangay Alat in Jolo, Sulu.
Gonzales, who is also Joint Task Force (JTF)-Sulu commander, identified the slain ASG leader as Injam Yadah.
Yadah played a key role in the kidnapping of five Indonesian fishermen in Malaysian waters on January 16, 2020.
The ASG killed one of the five Indonesian fishermen last year in the hinterlands of Sulu while the troops separately rescued the other four in March this year in the province of Tawi-Tawi.
Gonzales said one of Yadah’s slain followers was Al-al Sawadjaan, the youngest brother of infamous ASG bomber Mundi Sawadjaan, a certain Abu Rauf while the other one is yet to be identified.
He said the clash ensued as the group of Yadah opened fire at government troops, prompting them to retaliate while they were about to serve a warrant of arrest against the Abu Sayyaf leader.
Troops recovered at the clash site an M653 Carbine rifle, caliber .45 pistol, bomb-making components, and 15 mobile phones.
Lt. Col. Wilfredo Borgonia, 35th Infantry Battalion commander, said Yadah was also involved in the kidnap of Dr. Daniel Moreno on Feb. 4, 2020 in Jolo; kidnapping of Filipino-American Rex Triplitt on Sept. 16, 2020, in Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte; and, the kidnapping of two members of the Tulawie family in June 2018 in Talipao, Sulu.
“We've long been on the hunt for Yadah, he has a reputation of being extremely violent--beheading captured innocent civilians and security forces alike. Finally, his hideous acts will now come to a full stop,” Gonzales said.
He said Sawadjaan is known to have some knowledge in bomb-making and has already pledged as a suicide bomber.
“All of our forces under JTF-Sulu are doubling our efforts to also catch Mundi Sawadjaan. His brothers are now dead and we are optimistic that he will also be neutralized. When that day comes, we can say that we have achieved total peace in the province. The local government and people here are alongside us in this endeavor,” Gonzales added.
Since January, a total of 121 ASG bandits were neutralized in Sulu -- 86 of whom surrendered, 18 were killed and 17 were apprehended.
“Congratulations to the troops of Joint Task Force Sulu and our partners for this successful operation. Joint Task Force Sulu continuously implements its all-out campaign to eliminate the remaining ASG personalities in the province,” said Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom).
In a statement, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief, Gen. Cirilito Sobjena, also commended the troops involved in the operation.
“The successful neutralization by the Joint Task Force Sulu of another ASG sub-leader is proof of our troops’ determination and commitment to fully eradicate the terrorist threat in Sulu,” General Sobejana said. “Their accomplishments here brings us closer to our goal of putting an end to the menace of terrorism brought by the ASG and other local terrorist groups in the southern Philippines.”
Sobejana said the neutralization of Yadah is a significant accomplishment in the battle against the terrorist group.
"We've long been on the hunt for Yadah, he has a reputation of being extremely violent - beheading captured innocent civilians and security forces alike. Finally, his hideous acts will now come to a full stop," said Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, Commander, Joint Task Force Sulu said earlier.
Injam was also reportedly involved in the kidnapping of various foreign nationals and locals including the ex-wife and daughter of former Talipao Mayor Tambrin Tulawie in 2018.
“These recent accomplishments further compound the problems faced by different LTGs in Mindanao. These reductions in the capabilities of the LTGs further restricted their freedom of movement, also limiting their presence in small, remote, and far apart areas in the Zamboanga-Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-tawi provinces,” Sobejana said. (with Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
