ARMY troops captured two Abu Sayyaf bandits as the Army mounted non-stop operations against the local terrorist group in Basilan and in the adjoining province of Sulu.
The bandits were apprehended by elements of the Army’s 18th Infantry Battalion while they were conducting clearing operations at Sitio Pusong-Pusong, Barangay Camamburingan, Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan.
Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command spokesman Lt. Col. Gerry Besana identified the captured terrorists as Vilyamin Garamun and Geramun Dahocoh, followers of ASG subleader Furuji Indama.
Seized from them were a Carbine and an M-1 Garand rifle and ammunitions.
In Sulu, members of the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion clashed at around 3 p.m. on Tuesday with about 30 bandits under subleader Mujer Yadah at Barangay Tugas, Patikul.
The firefight followed another encounter between elements of the 5th scout Ranger Battalion with another group of bandits at around 9:05 a.m. at Barangay Latih, also in Patikul.
The military is carrying nonstop operations against the ASG in the two provinces, following the suicide bombing in Lamitan City, Basilan more than two weeks ago that killed 11 people and wounded nine others.
The bombing, which Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said was carried out by a Moroccan for the ASG, has prompted the military to tighten security in Western Mindanao.
“The Western Mindanao Command is committed to sustain its operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu and Basilan. We will not falter until the last bandit will be neutralized,” said Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, commander of the Western Mindanao Command.
“With the support of the local chief executives, stakeholders, and the community, our campaign against terrorism will soon bear the fruit of lasting peace and prosperity not only in Sulu and Basilan but the entire Western Mindanao,” he added.
The operations in the two provinces were simultaneously carried out with the ongoing military operations in Central Mindanao, which for the past days, soldiers have been engaging an Islamic State-linked group in skirmishes in Maguindanao.
The clashes with the group of Abu Toraife at Barangay Darampua, Sultan Sa Barongis, Maguindanao have so far killed seven militants, according to the military.
Toraife and his men are breakaway members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
The operation against the group began on Monday after the military pinpointed its location with the help of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The military is using a combination of mortar and artillery fires, airstrikes and ground assault in the battle.