PARANG, Maguindanao, Philippines – Abu Sayyaf commander Al Bader Parad and five of his men were killed when Marines stormed their hideout in the mountains of Sulu yesterday.
Three Marines were wounded in the encounter, which lasted for more than an hour. The wounded Marines were flown to the trauma hospital at Camp Bautista in Sulu.
During the assault, Air Force planes provided the troops air cover, while Navy ships blockaded Sulu to prevent the terrorists from escaping by sea.
Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino said four civilians identified the body of Parad, who carried a $1-million bounty from the US government and P7 million from the Philippine government.
The other slain terrorists were identified as Simal Abtong, Abdulhan Jumdail, Omar Umbah, Hamilton Sadjael, and Udin Serad.
Dolorfino said the Marines were on patrol when they spotted the band of Parad on Mt. Pukay in Sitio Kandang Tukay, Barangay Karawan in Maimbung town.
Last year, Parad led an Abu Sayyaf band that seized and held hostage three officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Dolorfino said the operation started at around 10 p.m. Saturday when Marines tracked down the band of Gapur Jumdail north of Mt. Mabigtang in Indanan town.
"The group of Gapur was rejoined by the forces of Parad and Dr. Abu on Mt. Tukay where the big encounter occurred at around 7 a.m. (yesterday)," he said.
Dolorfino said Marines tracked down Jumdail's group after they fled the scene of the fighting.
"The encounter resulted in the killing of Parad and five others and many others from the militants were wounded," he said.
Navy spokesman Marine Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said the Marines recovered a Belgian FN rifle, two M203 grenade launchers, and an automatic weapon from the scene.
The bodies of the slain terrorists will be turned over to their relatives through their barangay leaders for proper burial, according to Brig. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, Task Force Comet commander. - With Roel Pareño and Alexis Romero