Military: Drive vs Abu Sayyaf to go on during Ramadan

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Abu Sayyaf will be fasting under the hail of bullets as the military declared it will not suspend operations against the extremist group during the observance of the holy month of Ramadan.

Instead, the military said there will be no let-up in the offensive against the Abu Sayyaf whose prominent commanders continue to elude pursuing government forces in the mountains of Sulu province.

Col. Hilario Atendido, spokesman of the Armed Forces Southern Command, said the military is running after the Abu Sayyaf, the self-styled Islamic fighters but are considered terrorist group responsible for the series of kidnappings and attacks.

"We have a firm stand and order to flush out the Abu Sayyaf and neutralize the group even after the recovery of the remaining hostages," Atendido said.

Atendido said the troops under the Task Force Trident are still running after more than a hundred bandits led by commanders Ghalib Andang alias Commander Robot, Mujib Susukan, Abu Jumdain alias Dr. Abu Pula, Nadjmi Sadalla alias Global, and Radullan Sahiron.

Sources from Sulu disclosed that Khadaffy Janjalani and his trusted henchman Abu Asmad Salayuddi alias Sabaya have already slipped out of the province along with their American captive Jeffrey Craig Edwards Schilling and landed in Sumisip, Basilan.

The informants disclosed that Janjalani and Sabaya, bringing Schilling along, boarded an outrigger fishing boat from Kaunayan, Patikul town, Sulu three weeks ago and proceeded to Basilan.

Government troops continued to scour the coastal and mountain lair in Sumisip to ascertain the presence of Janjalani and Sabaya with their captive. However, the patrol led to the misencounter of government forces and the militiamen where its leader Abdul Midjal was killed last Sunday.— Roel Pareño