A member of a pro-Islamic State militant group has been apprehended in connection with the bombing of a Catholic mass in the southern Philippines, as confirmed by a military commander on Saturday. The suspect, Jafar Gamo Sultan, was captured during a search for four individuals believed to be responsible for the attack on worshippers in Marawi, the largest Muslim city in the country, which was under siege by militants in 2017.
Last Sunday’s bombing, which claimed the lives of four people and left 50 others injured, was later claimed by the Islamic State group. Brigadier-General Yegor Rey Barroquillo revealed that surveillance footage seemed to show Sultan entering the Mindanao State University gymnasium, where the service was being held, carrying an explosive device concealed in a bag. Barroquillo, who leads the 103rd Brigade of the Philippine Army engaged in the manhunt, also indicated that Sultan’s relative, known as “Omar,” is wanted in connection with the attack.
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Sultan was apprehended during an operation conducted on Wednesday, the same day when two other individuals, Kadapi Mimbesa and Arsani Membisa, were identified as suspects by the police. According to Barroquillo, all four men were associated with the Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute group and are believed to be part of a cell responsible for carrying out the attack.
The military has suggested that the bombing could be a retaliatory act against their operations targeting militant groups in the region. Over the years, the area has witnessed a series of militant attacks on buses, Catholic churches, and public markets, a consequence of the prolonged unrest in the region. Although a peace agreement was signed with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest rebel group in the country, in 2014, smaller factions of Muslim fighters, including those pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group, continue to pose a threat. Additionally, communist rebels are also active in the region.
The arrest of Sultan provides hope for justice and stability in the affected area, as authorities strive to dismantle militant networks and ensure the safety of the local population.
