Locals in Basilan province prepared the body of Abu Sayyaf bomb maker Mudzimar Sawadjaan for burial according to Islamic rites on Sunday. Sawadjaan was killed in a clash with government soldiers on Saturday night, marking a significant victory for the military against local affiliates of the global terror network Islamic State (IS). Brig. Gen. Alvin Luzon, commander of the Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade, reported that soldiers intercepted Sawadjaan as he was attempting to escape from a coastal community in Basilan. He described Sawadjaan as a notorious terrorist, bomb expert, and the mastermind behind multiple suicide bombings in Sulu province. Sawadjaan’s handiwork included a suicide bombing in a cathedral in Jolo in January 2019 that killed 23 people, as well as another suicide bombing in downtown Jolo in August 2020 that killed 14 people.
The killing of Sawadjaan has not only provided justice to the victims of his atrocities but has also contributed to the overall safety of the region. Lt. Gen. William Gonzales, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, stated that the neutralization of Sawadjaan will keep the people safe and potentially lead to Basilan being declared Abu Sayyaf free. In a separate statement, Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of the Army’s 11th Infantry Division, echoed this sentiment and expressed that the neutralization of Sawadjaan was a significant step towards eliminating the Abu Sayyaf group in Basilan.
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In addition to the operation in Basilan, government troops raided a lair of the Dawlah Islamiyah (DI)-affiliated Maute Group in Piagapo town, Lanao del Sur province. The raid resulted in the death of Alandoni Macadaya Lucsadatu, a sub-leader of the Maute group. Recovered from Lucsadatu’s lair were various weapons and communication equipment. The Maute group was responsible for the 2017 siege of Marawi City and has since established lairs across the Lanao provinces.
Furthermore, in Maguindanao del Sur, 11 members of the DI were killed in a clash with government troops. The firefight lasted for more than three hours, resulting in the recovery of weapons and improvised explosive devices.
These recent operations against terrorist groups demonstrate the military’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the region.
