By Hader Glang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
At least 64 Abu Sayyaf militants have been killed by government forces in the troubled southern island province in Sulu in the last five months, according to the Philippines military.
However, more than 400 members of the Al-Qaeda-linked group remain on the island province, Colonel Allan Arrojado, head of Joint Task Group Sulu, said in an Inquirer.net report Monday.
He added that 246 of them have been identified, while the identity of the rest - including sympathizers and supporters - remains unknown.
Arrojado attributed gains from recent operations to a combined effort from all factions of the Philippines military.
“We searched their hideouts and we have good intelligence and well-coordinated focused military operations involving the Marines, Army, Navy and Air Force.”
An Armed Forces of the Philippines' accomplishment report showed that 104 bandits were wounded in the last five months, while the government lost nine soldiers and 69 were wounded.
The military launched all out offensives against the group last October after the release of two German captives on payment of a reported P250 million ($5.56 million) in ransom.
On May 29, the military also tagged the Abu Sayyaf group as behind twin blasts inside a provincial police camp in Sulu capital Jolo.
The military's progress report said the two explosions injured 16 people, including three minors and 11 policemen - some members of the elite Special Action Force.
Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, chief of the military’s public affairs office, said the Joint Task Group Sulu has since supplemented its forces conducting patrols within the city, the Philstar reported.
"The attack is seen as a retaliation of the Abu Sayyaf group for the death of one of its leaders. Another attack could happen again," said Cabunoc.
Western Mindanao Command chief, Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero said that the military has also deployed augmentation forces to conduct security patrols in support of the local police, which is also intensifying its own patrols.
