ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Government security forces arrested 29 suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf group in a raid in a village in Patikul town, Sulu on Tuesday.
Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, said military and police personnel staged the raid at Barangay Bangkal about 5:30 a.m.
Sobejana said no firefight occurred as the suspects did not resist arrest.
He said the suspects were mostly members of the ‘Ajang-ajang’, a faction of the Abu Sayyaf group that serves as spotters for probable kidnapping targets.
The raid was launched following the release Monday of a 9-year-old kidnap victim.
According to Sobejana, the joint task force had been receiving information on the presence of the Abu Sayyaf members in the village, believed to be under the local terror group's influence. The group is believed to be involved in the freed child's kidnapping.
“So we did the operational plan and with my joint forces and the police we were able to apprehend 29 individuals,” Sobejana said.
He said four of the suspects were identified by witnesses and by the victim.
Sobejana said the police will handle the cases against the Abu Sayyaf members.