AFP deploys more troops to crush Abu Sayyaf Group
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said yesterday that additional troops will be deployed in Patikul, Sulu, as part of the continuing offensive against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
As this developed, 21 ASG fighters have already been killed since fighting broke out last Friday.
Marine Col. Edgard A. Arevalo, the chief of the AFP's Public Affairs Office, said that government forces who are part of Joint Task Force Sulu continue to scour the area in efforts of neutralizing the bandit group.
AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo Visaya said that the military will dedicate all resources and assets to gain the objective to follow the directive of President Duterte to crush the bandit group.
"Yes, continuing. Continuing iyung pursuit operation naming. Actually, yes kasama iyung personnel pero ayoko lang mag banggit ng exact number or ilang battalions. Magdadagdag tayo.
Arevalo, however, could not say if the group earlier encountered by troops had the hostages.
The Abu Sayyaf is still holding 24 people as hostages, 16 of them foreigners.
The AFP said that it expects more terrorists will be neutralized by government forces as more troops and war material continue to pour into Sulu, not to mention the support and cooperation of the local populace already sick and tired by the atrocities of the ASG.
“Let us vigorously pursue these terrorist/bandit Abu Sayyaf Group with no let up and destroy them," Gen. Visaya said during a recent high-level operations briefing.
"We have this one chance to annihilate this menace to society that claims links with ISIS. We have the full support of the Commander-in-Chief, President Duterte, and the backing of our citizens specially the people of Sulu," Visaya said.
“As your Chief-of-Staff, I am committing all personnel and material resources in the AFP inventory necessary for the success of this ‘once and for all mission’ in our lives as soldiers—i.e. to annihilate all ASG members, supporters, and sympathizers for the sake of the next generation," he added.