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| Southeast Asia |
| More Rebels Helping Abu Sayyaf, Military Says |
| 2007-04-13 |
| Zamboanga City, 13 April (AKI) - Military forces pursuing the al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf group in the jungles of the Muslim-dominated Filipino town of Sulu, are blaming local Muslim groups of helping the terrorists. In an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI), Army Colonel Antonio Supnet said they received reports that point to a faction within the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) – a former Muslim rebel group, which signed a peace deal with Manila in 1996 - as the group supporting the Abu Sayyaf. "We have reports that a certain MNLF Commander is coddling this group," Colonel Supnet, who leads the Army’s 104th Brigade in Sulu, told AKI. He added that this group has helped the Abu Sayyaf in their areas and supplied them with food. He said there are even instances where “this group is hiding the rebels in the MNLF peace zone community, and the military cannot enter." Colonel Supnet said that "this" MNLF Commander, which he refused to name, is identified as a relative of the new leader of the Abu Sayyaf, Radullan Sahiron. "We learned that this group is even joining Abu Sayyaf in the actual combat fight," he said. Sahiron was once an MNLF leader before he joined the Abu Sayyaf decades back. Professor Octavio Dinampo, an expert on the Sulu rebellion and himself a former MNLF member, said it is rather normal that Sahiron is gaining supports among the locals. "He knows how to deal with them. He had a good leadership style even when he was an MNLF member before," he said. Supnet is nonetheless optimistic that the military can defeat the Abu Sayyaf in the province. “We have established connections with the people in Patikul and Indanan and they are giving us reports of the presence of these lawless groups,” he said. A military operation has been going on since last August in the towns of Patikul and Indanan. Members of Abu Sayyaf are reported to be hiding in the jungles of close to these towns. The Filipino armed forces in Manila said some 7,000 troops are being deployed in the province in their fight against terrorism. In an encounter last Wednesday, Supnet said two Filipino soldiers were killed and another 10 were reportedly wounded. “We received reports of more casualties from the Abu Sayyaf group,” he told AKI. |
| Posted by:Steve |