JOLO, Sulu - The Philippine military launched early this month a new offensive against the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorists in the island province of Sulu.
Military trucks loaded with soldiers backed by armored personnel carriers mounted with machine guns rolled the streets since Saturday and headed for the outskirts of Jolo, the capital of the province, where foreign and local terrorists are believed to be hiding.
The new offensive is dubbed as Operation Plan (Oplan) Ultimatum II aimed at capturing the remaining top Abu Sayyaf leaders and JI militants, namely Umar Patek alias Umar Kecil and Dulmatin alias Amar Usman.
The US government is offering up to US $10-million reward for the capture of Dulmatin and up to US $1-million for the arrest of Patek.
The new offensive is not purely combat offensive but it will include massive humanitarian missions to win the hearts and minds of the people and deny shelter to local and foreign terrorists, said a military official.
“As long as they are here, we will not stop pursuing them,” said Major General Ruben Rafael, chief of the Joint Task Force Comet and in charge of the troops pursuing the terror group.
Rafael said Abu Sayyaf rebels have splintered into several smaller groups and remain highly mobile to avoid armed confrontation with advancing soldiers.
He foresees a change in the atrocities of the Abu Sayyaf with the selection of Yasser Igasan as the group’s new leader.
He described the new Abu Sayyaf leader as a radical person who underwent religious and bomb-making trainings abroad. He said reports from the field said Igasan, who is over 30 years old, is now leading the Abu Sayyaf group.
However, Rafael believes the choice of Igasan will split the group since there are those from Basilan province who "don't like him."
Also, Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf leader who hails from Basilan, is still alive and might not want to be under Igasan, Rafael added.
Rafael said included in their humanitarian mission is to ensure the delivery of basic services in the province in coordination with the local government units.
He said they have initially met with newly elected Sulu Governor Sakur Tan to discuss their humanitarian projects, according to Rafael.
The Jolo-born Igasan went to the Middle East in the mid-1990s to take up Islamic studies in Libya and Syria, returning to the southern Philippines in 2004.
“He saw very little combat and lacked military training and experience, unlike his two predecessors," said a senior police intelligence officer, raising doubts about Igasan’s capability to hold together the ragtag militant group.
“He could very well become the group’s spiritual leader but there could be other more capable commanders who would lead the Abu Sayyaf’s military arm. We could be seeing some dramatic changes in Abu Sayyaf’s structure and orientation."
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