Isabela City, Basilan Province (The Redline News Philippines) - Troops
from the Joint Task Force Basilan under Col. Juvymax R Uy scored anew last June
16 2017 after successfully capturing an Abu Sayaff camp in Ungkaya Pukan,
Basilan Province, sending the terrorists to scamper for survival.
Task Group “Hunter” led by LTC Andrew B Bacala Jr composing of troops
from the 4TH Special Forces Battalion, 9TH Scout Ranger Company and 12 DRC
successfully seized an Abu Sayaff Group (ASG) encampment harboring ASG Sub
Leaders Furuji Indama and Radzmil Janatul in a remote area in Ungkaya Pukan,
Basilan Province.
The raid came after a series of effective airstrikes and massive
artillery fires delivered by the Philippine Airforce’s 3RD Air Division and the
Army's 8TH Field Artillery Battalion.
Recovered from the enemy camp were two (2) M16 Rifle, one (1) M653
“baby armalite”, one (1) M1 Garand, four sacks of rice, solar panels, personal
items and IED components along with several ammunitions and documents of high
intelligence value. Also, a foreign document believed to be from a kidnapped
Vietnamese victim was recovered.
“The enemy suffered heavy casualties as evident from the massive
bloodstains and several identifiable human flesh” said LTC Bacala who led the
ground assault Thursday night.
He also commented that the ASGs were so unaware that they hastily
scampered, leaving their valued firearms behind.
Out of 42 makeshift huts in an area approximately 150m x 200m wide, 11
were totally destroyed.
Information on the remaining ASG bandits was voluntarily given by ASG
returnees as sign of their sincerity to help the government.
Following the bloodstains left by the ASGs, the troops were able to
discover another temporary enemy encampment which could accommodate more or
less thirty (30) ASG bandits.
A bloodied bandoleer loaded with ammunitions, a solar panel, cooking
utensils and several personal items with bloodstains was also recovered on
site.
“This is a highly accomplished mission. We have received reports on the
ground that most of the members have lost the will to fight. We will press on
the fight until the ASGs have become irrelevant in Basilan”, Col Uy, commander
of JTF Basilan notes.
In a span of 4 months, JTF Basilan has conducted successive operations
against the ASGs, effectively containing the bandits in the hinterlands of
Basilan.
“We have their men, now all we have to take care of is their
leadership” Col Uy adds, citing that most of the ASG members in Basilan have
returned to the folds of the law, effectively isolating their ASG sub leaders.
In an earlier statement, a former ASG member regards their leaders as
“self-serving and used us for their own good.”
‘Winning the Masses - a decisive factor’
Aside from the intense combat operations, Focused Civil-Military
Operations were also conducted by JTF Basilan to win the support of the
populace.
“We don’t fight the people. Our mandate is to protect the Filipino
People, regardless of tribe, religion or belief – and we make them realize
that. We go from the political leaders down to the grassroots, engage them eye
to eye and deliver our message clearly and distinctively – that we are here to
serve them, to protect them with our lives if we must” Col Uy comments.
Unlike several areas in Mindanao, the Provincial Government Units down
to the LGUs and BLGUs are highly supportive of the military’s campaign against
the ASGs.
The Provincial Government of Basilan earlier announced that they are at
one with the AFP in defeating the bandits that for so long has plagued Basilan.
With the president’s pronouncement of Martial Law in Mindanao, the military,
together with the provincial government, can better assert the security
situation to put an end to the ASG’s terrorism.
Information from the ASGs who recently surrendered revealed that they
are low in supplies and ammunitions because “the people don’t support us
anymore.”
An intensified campaign by the Basilan Ulama Supreme Council also
proved to be an effective tool in convincing the people that “Violence,
extremism and terrorism is not the way of Islam”
The Basilan Ulama Supreme Council conducted several dialogues
pertaining to the subject as the Muslim Community celebrates the Holy Month of
Ramadan.
“We are a determined force. Together with the Basilenos, we can end
this war. We will win this war.” Col Uy said. .(RJRTV)posted by Becky D. de Asis-The Redline News PH
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