- MANILA: Philippine bomber planes and troops assaulted a mountain stronghold of the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group in the south Sunday in a new offensive targeting a key Malaysian terrorism suspect in Southeast Asia and allied Filipino gunmen, officials said.
Filipino marines found three bodies of suspected militants scattered around the Abu Sayyaf jungle lair near Karawan village in Sulu province’s Indanan town after OV-10 planes bombed the area. Security officials were trying to identify the bodies, regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang said.
Sulu police operations chief Amil Baanan said the targets of the offensive, which started Saturday, included Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, a US-trained Malaysian engineer long hunted by US and Philippine authorities for his alleged role in terror attacks.
The troops were also after Singaporean militant Muhammad Ali Bin Al-Rahman, also known as Muawiya, who is believed to be affiliated with the Southeast Asian militant network Jemaah Islamiah. Abu Sayyaf commander Umbra Jumdail, who has given refuge to Marwan and Muawiya in his jungle encampment, was also targeted, Banaan said.
Washington has offered $5 million reward for the capture or killing of Marwan, among Southeast Asia’s most wanted terror suspects.
New intelligence indicated that the three terror suspects have been hiding in the heavily-forested Karawan hinterland with about 30 Abu Sayyaf militants, prompting the military to order the assaults, military officials said.
