Philippines reports killings of militants

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine troops killed an Egyptian suicide bomber and two Abu Sayyaf militants in what military officials said Saturday was a setback that would make it harder for gunmen linked to the Islamic State group to stage such attacks.

Army troops gunned down the three militants in a 10-minute firefight Friday night near a hinterland village off the mountainous Patikul town in southern Sulu province, army brigade commander Col. Benjamin Batara Jr. said. They also recovered three assault rifles and bandoliers of ammunition.

Military officials did not indicate how the three were tracked down, but military chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana suggested that troops were helped by information provided by villagers. “The support of the public in our peace and security operations is much, much needed,” Sobejana told The Associated Press.

The Egyptian, who was identified by the military only as Yusop, was the son of Egyptian militant Reda Mohammad Mahmud, who used the name Siti Aisyah and was killed when she detonated a bomb and was shot by troops two years ago at the gate of an army detachment in Sulu’s Indanan town. His Egyptian stepfather was killed in a gunbattle with troops at a military checkpoint in Indanan, also in 2019, the military said.

“This is one less suicide bomber,” army Maj. Gen. William Gonzales said. “Without them, the possibility of another attack is slimmer.”

Gonzales said without elaborating that the killing of the Egyptian would cut off foreign financial support to the Abu Sayyaf.