SULU – Six Abu Sayyaf fighters surrendered Monday to government troops in the southern Filipino province of Sulu, officials said.
Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, a spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command, said the militants yielded to the 2nd Special Forces Battalion under Lt. Col. Jessie Montoya in Talipao town.
They also handed over 6 rifles and were being interrogated at the army headquarters also in Talipao.
Besana identified the militants as Annuar Dalawis, Arsi Akili, Nassal Asaral, Alvarez Sadjan, Aysal Ajaral and Medzmar Mursin.
“They voluntarily surrendered through the efforts of the different community support program teams of the battalion,” he said.
Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, the regional military commander, lauded the troops for their efforts in convincing the militants to surrender peacefully as he urged other members of the Abu Sayyaf to return to the fold of the law.
“We hope that more bandits will decide to surrender instead of risking their lives and engaging themselves in deadly encounters with troops,” he said.
Five soldiers had died and over 2 dozen injured in recent clashes in Sulu’s Patikul town where a militant leader, Hajan Sawadjaan, is believed wounded in the battle. (Mindanao Examiner)
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