Tag Archives: philippines

Two Abu Sayyaf leaders involved in the beheading of Marines last month were among six killed during a raid on a terrorist camp in Sulu. Five more were captured in a separate raid. The Philippine Air Force grounded its MG-520 support helicopters after one crashed on Saturday.

Marines attacked an Abu Sayyaf camp in Basilan, sparking close gunbattles. Forty-two Abu Sayyaf fighters, including a suspect in the beheadings of 10 Marines in July, were killed along with 15 Marines, including five officers. Thirty Abu Sayyaf fighters were believed to have been wounded.

The military said “troops should go for the kill” against Jemaah Islamiyah operatives Dulmatin and Umar Patek. Abu Sayyaf is seeking financial and material support via the web. The US Embassy charge d™affaires said Special Forces are operating behind the lines in Sulu.

The military is attempting to confirm that Dulmatin, the Jemaah Islamiyah bomb maker behind the Bali bombing in Indonesia in 2002, was wounded in a clash with soldiers on Jolo Island. Police have requested new warrants for the 130 MILF and Abu Sayyaf fighters involved in the ambush and beheading of 10 Marines in Basilan […]

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said US Special Forces are not involved in the fighting against Abu Sayyaf in Sulu. The Defense Secretary said fighting in Sulu does not violate the 11-year truce with MNLF as only Abu Sayyaf and renegade MNLF are targeted.

The military offensive in the southern Philippines is officially underway. Abu Sayyaf leader Umbra Jumdail was wounded and his deputy Edimar Salip was killed in the offensive against Abu Sayyaf and MNLF on Jolo. The US has a $100,000 reward out for the capture of Jumdail, AKA Dr. Abu, who harbored Jemaah Islamiyah operatives Umar […]

The military ordered a full scale offensive against Abu Sayyaf and “rogue” MNLF allies in Basilan and Sulu. President Arroyo ordered Gen. Esperon, the chief of the army to relocate his headquarters to the southern city of Zamboanga on Mindanao Island to take charge of the military operation. Gen. Esperon has arrived in Jolo along […]

The military is deploying an additional 1,000 troops to Sulu to battle the MNLF and Abu Sayyaf as the death toll from this week’s fighting reached 57. MNLF threatened to retaliate if the military does not withdraw its troops from Sulu. MILF denied aiding Abu Sayyaf in Basilan.

[UPDATE2] Over 50 have been killed during heavy fighting on Jolo Island between Abu Sayyaf and allied MNLF fighters, and the military. At least 25 soldiers were killed in the latest round of fighting.

Abu Sayyaf fighters killed nine soldiers today during an ambush in Jolo Island. Three Abu Sayyaf operatives and one soldier were killed in fighting on Jolo Island on Wednesday, while five MILF fighters were wounded in an artillery attack in Basilan. Marad Astig, a trusted aide of Abu Sayyaf commander Radulan Sahiron who is wanted […]

A brother of Kaharudin Usman Talib, who confessed to being a Jemaah Islamiyah operative plotting to bomb Manilla, claimed Talib is innocent. Around 3,000 civilians fled the villages of Sungkayat in Basilan as security forces and MILF battled in the region.

Two bombs were detonated at a bus terminal in South Cotabato province, wounding one and injuring an unknown number of civilians. Two suspects in the beheading of 10 Marine have surrendered. Four members of Abu Sayyaf have been identified as being involved in he beheadings. The US is prepared to step up aid to the […]

A Basilan representative identified four of the suspects involved in the beheading of 10 Marines, and claimed they are not members of MILF. Police are conducting intelligence operations to capture 130 MILF operatives believed to be involved with the beheadings.

Over 200 armed police attempted to execute a warrant in Basilan province against three of the 130 MILF fighters who were involved in the recent beheading of 10 Marines. The village of Guinanta was deserted and the government has postponed the warrant. Abu Sayyaf and other Islamist groups have caused over 1,700 civilian and military […]

Thousands of villagers in the Al-Barka municipality in Basilan province are leaving their homes in fear of being caught in the middle of fighting between MILF and the military. Religious leaders and NGO oppose the government taking punitive actions against MILF for the beheading of 10 Marines.

The government issued an ultimatum to MILF to hand over those responsible for last week’s ambush and beheading of Marines in Basilan. MILF said it is preparing for all out war. The Armed Forces of the Philippines are preparing for war as well.

The military will deploy an additional Marine battalion in Basilan in preparation for an offensive against MILF. A bomb was detonated at a market in Tacurong City in Mindanao; no casualties have been reported. Bomb jokes have been banned in southern Mindanao.

MILF said it would not surrender any of its fighters in the wake of the beheading of Marines last week. The chief of the Philippines Armed Forces said MILF has one week to surrender the culprits or an all-out war would be launched against the Muslim insurgents. MILF also claimed one of its fighters was […]

MILF warned the government not to retaliate for the beheading of 10 Marines last week. The Philippine army believes it is close to capturing Bali bombing mastermind Dulmatin after receiving information from an informant.

Fourteen Philippine Marines were killed after being ambushed by 300 Abu Sayyaf fighters on Basilan island. Ten Marines were found beheaded; nine more were wounded. The Marines were searching for a kidnapped Catholic priest in MILF-controlled territory.