ZAMBOANGA CITY – Pro-government militias killed an Abu Sayyaf militant in a gunfight in the restive Muslim province of Basilan in southern Philippines, officials said Thursday.
Officials said militias responded to a report by civilians that the militant was spotted Wednesday afternoon in the village of Sungkayut in Ungkaya Pukan town. But the Abu Sayyaf gunmen attacked militias as soon as they enter the village, sparking a firefight that eventually killed the militant who was identified as Munir Kahum, a follower of notorious Abu Sayyaf leader Puruji Indama.
Militias recovered Kahum’s automatic rifle and handed the weapon and his cadaver to local authorities. Security has been tightened in the town for fear that the Abu Sayyaf may retaliate for the death of Kahum, whose group has been blamed for the spate of killings and terrorism, and ransom kidnappings in Basilan, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.
The Abu Sayyaf also pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and vowed to fight the establishment of an Islamic caliphate in the troubled region.
Just this week, the military captured four alleged supporters of the Islamic State and one of them was a Spaniard who was seized by soldiers in Basilan. Officials said Abdelhakim Labidi Adib, 20, was apprehended January 22 by soldiers at a checkpoint and seized grenades and explosives from the Spanish man. His companion, who was believed to be a member of the Abu Sayyaf, managed to escape from soldiers.
Adib’s arrest was not immediately made public by the military for a still unknown reason, but the foreigner had entered the Philippines in October last year and travelled to Zamboanga City where he took a boat for Basilan, a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf whose leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
No other details were made available by the military about the foreigner who was taken to Manila where he is currently being interrogated. The Spanish Embassy was informed of his arrest.
The military said three other Filipino supporters of the Islamic State were captured in the town of Piagapo in Lanao del Sur province, also in the autonomous region. Soldiers seized automatic pistols from the trio, Apao Macod Dimacaling, Brad Alexander and Jalal Ramal Berongon, who were also linked to the murder of three Christian vendors in the town in December last year. (Mindanao Examiner)
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