ZAMBOANGA CITY – At least 9 soldiers were killed and wounded in a powerful bomb explosion on Tuesday in the restive province of Basilan in southern Philippines where security forces are battling the Abu Sayyaf, officials said.
Officials said one soldier was confirmed dead and 8 more had been wounded in the roadside explosion near Tipo-Tipo town.
The soldiers were travelling in a vehicle when it was hit by the explosion. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the area is a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf, although a larger rebel group – the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which signed a peace deal with Manila last year – is also operating in Tipo-Tipo and other nearby towns.
Basilan is one of five provinces under the Muslim autonomous region, a hotbed of Islamic militancy in southern Philippines where the influence of the notorious ISIS on various rebel and radical groups is fast spreading.
The Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and a small group of Malaysian and Indonesian fighters being coddled by the two groups have pledged allegiance to ISIS.
The intelligence think-tank ISIS Study Group has recently reported that a group of foreign security contractor or mercenaries is planning to clandestinely travel to the southern Philippines and fight the Abu Sayyaf and their allies.
The report came out following the recent killing of American citizen Keith Broomfield who was fighting against ISIS in Syria.
“Interestingly enough there’s a contractor crew prepping to deploy to the Philippines to fight those who pledged allegiance to IS. We’re assuming they’re going to the Autonomous Region of the Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Their concerns about the Philippines becoming a major safe-haven for IS affiliates is warranted – which is why our staff covers this country and the rest of Southeast Asia,” according to the report of The ISIS Study Group.
“Still, we wonder what their logistics and intelligence support looks like, because there are a lot of isolated areas where the terrorist training camps are located. More importantly, most of them are located in the heart of territory controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF) 102nd, 105th and 118th Base Commands. They’re going to have a tough time penetrating that territory – and it won’t be just those MILF units they’d have to deal with,” it added.
Although it did not say who was behind the group, The ISIS Study Group raised concern about corruption in the police and military in the Philippines which could hinder the operation of the security contractors.
“Corrupt members of the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines units located in the area will likely be targeting them the minute they step off the plane, if nothing else but because they happen to be “white” and therefore assumed to be loaded with money,” it said.
It also listed the following groups as active in southern Philippines:
- The Sarangani-region – Ansar Khalifa Sarangani (KAS) is an up and coming terror group receiving direct support from Indonesian jihadists. Some of those Indonesians have returned from Syria themselves and are looking to re-establish Jemaah Islamiyah’s (JI) training camps in the Southern Philippines to further their long-term goal of having a self-sustaining training program. This would be the top candidate. They would also do well to give the “Sangir Route” some attention. Who knows, maybe they’ll interdict an arms shipment or two?
- SPMS Box (Salvo, Patatin, Mamasapano and Shariff Aguak) – We’re tracking that Singaporean JI operative Lito Ribiyah aka “Muawiyah” is still alive and hiding in the area. He’d be a nice pelt to hang up on the wall. The problem is that they’d have to go through the above-mentioned MILF personnel first.
- Basilan – Isnilon Hapilon still has a Rewards for Justice bounty on his head ($5 million USD) and he did pledge allegiance to Baghdadi last year. He’s also playing host to IS foreign fighter recruiter, Malaysian national Dr. Mahmoud bin Ahmed.
- Jolo/Sulu – Two words: Muamar Askali. Removing him would mean taking out a rising star in the Philippine terror community who could very well become one of its most senior figures if not the one who finally unites the groups under the banner of the Black Flag. Killing him before his indoctrination efforts takes hold on the island would be a huge coup.”
The ISIS Study Group said rebels and terrorists in the Philippines were allegedly receiving supports from Islamic centers, charities at foreign financiers. It said it is ready to share intelligence or information to the contractor about various rebel groups and terrorists in Mindanao.
“The guys looking to disrupt the Black Flag movement’s efforts to gain strength and expand may get more bang for their buck by operating more as a Long-Range Surveillance team or HUMINT (human intelligence) collection asset than a company from Ranger Regiment – especially since the real strength of the movement comes from the Islamic centers, charities and foreign financiers. Just a thought. On another note, if anybody in the group prepping for deployment to the Philippines is reading this and makes it there, just say the word and we’ll send you the goods on some juicy targets,” said The ISIS Study Group.
The ISIS Study Group is made up of mostly retired military members with varying backgrounds who served in the US Army Special Forces and others served as intelligence analysts in the Air Force, Navy, Army or Marines. (With a report from E. Dumaboc)
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