Troops kill militant leader accused of beheading foreign hostages

TROOPS IN the Philippines have killed a senior militant commander blamed for the beheadings of two Canadians and a German hostage.

Military chief of staff General Eduardo Ano said the Abu Sayyaf rebel leader Moammar Askali died in a clash with government forces on the resort of Bohol. He said troops have recovered the remains of Askali, who also used the Abu Rami, and was apparently attempting another kidnapping mission.

The soldiers took photos of the dead men, and he was identified by captured Abu Sayyaf militants.

Five other Abu Sayyaf gunmen were killed in the fighting on Tuesday, along with four soldiers and policemen.

General Ano said: “This is a major blow to the Abu Sayyaf. If they have further plans to kidnap innocent people somewhere, they will now have to think twice.”

The military chief said Askali had led several militants who travelled by speedboats from their jungle lairs in southern Sulu province to Bohol province in an apparent bid to carry out another kidnapping in a region that is popular for its beach resorts.

Sporadic gunfights between the remaining Abu Sayyaf militants and government forces continued yesterday, military officials said. The fighting in Bohol is far from the extremists’ southern jungle bases and in a region where the US government has warned that the gunmen may be plotting kidnappings.

National police chief director general Ronald dela Rosa said troops and policemen attacked the gunmen early on Tuesday in Inabanga, where the gunmen had arrived aboard three boats.

The gunmen took cover in three houses as the firefight broke out.