New Sayyaf unit behind soldiers’ slays

ZAMBOANGA CITY — A newly formed liquidation squad of the extremist Abu Sayyaf is behind the killings of soldiers in Sulu, an official of the Armed Forces Southern Command (Southcom) said yesterday.

Capt. Jose Ritchie Pabilonia, Southcom information chief, identified the urban terrorist group as the Abu Sofian, which specializes in assassinations.

The group’s latest victims were a certain Pfcs. Nawali and Sahi, both integrees of the Army’s 35th Infantry Battalion, who were killed in an ambush at the boundary of Patikul and Indanan towns last Saturday.

Pabilonia said Abu Sofian is composed of new recruits, mostly from Basilan, who have been fielded for test missions in Sulu.

He said the Abu Sayyaf assassins were also behind the separate killings of four Marines last May, one of them gunned down while jogging, and two civilians who were suspected as military informers.

Pabilonia said the anti-terror Task Force Comet under Brig. Gen. Alexander Aleo has been tracking down the Abu Sayyaf hit men.