AFP target: Abu Sayyaf wiped out within this year

AFP target: Abu Sayyaf wiped out within this year

MANILA, Philippines -- The military intends to complete within the year its campaign to wipe out the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf extremist group which has been on the run for the past few months from pursuing government troops in Sulu.

Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said Thursday the military has deployed more troops to Sulu, bringing to 11 the number of battalions already in hot pursuit of the group linked to the al-Qaeda international terror network.

One Marine battalion and one Scout Ranger test mission have been added to the troops already in Sulu, he said.

He said the number of troops in Sulu may be reduced but only if authorities are able to determine that “the threat has subsided or has been satisfactorily addressed.”

Fresh deadline

Esperon said the military leadership was thinking of setting a fresh deadline for its Oplan Ultimatum, the intensified manhunt operation for the extremist group launched six months ago.

“But indeed we want to finish the operations against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu as soon as possible...within the year,” he said.

After succeeding in killing top Abu Sayyaf leaders Khadaffy Janjalani and Abu Solaiman, the military said it would continue the campaign until all the major Abu Sayyaf commanders -- as well as the Indonesian terrorist named Dulmatin -- are captured or killed.

Esperon said the military has yet to confirm reports that Dulmatin, a member of the Jemaah Islamiyah regional terror group who allegedly masterminded the 2002 bombings in Bali, was wounded in an encounter.

But he said there were “indications” that Dulmatin and another Indonesian terrorist, Umar Patek, were still in Sulu.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney said she hoped the military would be able to meet its target in Sulu within the year.

Serious blow

“I think it’s very clear that the Philippine Armed Forces have struck some very serious blows against the internationally wanted terrorists and I hope they continue that,” said Kenney, who gave a lecture at the National Defense College of the Philippines.

Kenney hinted the US Embassy may have already given the reward money to some of the people who helped in the capture and killing of Janjalani and Solaiman.

“We’ve identified some of the people who’ll receive funds and we’re still tracking down a few more,” she said.

She said the embassy cannot say for sure whether it has already given the reward money “because people’s privacy is at stake and some people, for security, have asked that we not let anyone know.”

“Some people may already have the money,” said Kenney