Friday, July 09, 2004 Abu Sufia Gang member slain By Bobby S. Terencio
AN ALLEGED member of kidnap group Abu Sufia Gang was killed by Army troopers in an encounter early this week in Barangay Molol in Palimbang town of Sultan Kudarat.
This is according to Col. Edgardo Gurrea, commanding officer of the Joint Task Force (JTF).
Gurrea identified the slain kidnap group member as a certain Bayang Binago.
He was positively identified as among of the group who engaged with the government troops, Gurrea said.
Gurrea said pursuing elements of the Army's 11th Special Forces Company engaged combined elements of the Abu Sayyaf and Abu Sufia groups, numbering between 30 to 40, in a running gun battle Monday afternoon.
He said the firefight lasted for about 30 minutes before the armed men withdrew towards Barangay Ned in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.
"We were lucky that during the encounter, we were able to neutralize one member of the Abu Sufia Gang," Gurrea added.
The army official said government troops earlier in the morning engaged a smaller band of armed men in Sitio Kadapukan, Barangay Tuanadatu in Maitum.
No one was hurt from both sides during the first clash, which lasted about 20 minutes.
The Abu Sayyaf group, led by Kahdaffy Janjalani landed in Palimbang in July last year bringing along with them high-powered firearms.
The military said the Abu-Sayyaf group, numbering about 56 fully armed men, has since splintered into small groups after establishing contact with the Abu Sufia group, a local kidnap for ransom gang.
Khadaffy has reported slipped past the military cordon thrown around him and is now believed to somewhere in Maguindanao.
Gurrea said the kidnap for ransom groups are trying to establish a guerilla base in the boundaries of Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat.
He said the armed men reportedly dug bunkers and foxholes in three houses near the site of the first encounter.
"Up to now, hot pursuit operation against the kidnap groups is still ongoing and hopefully we could find them in few days from now and ultimately we will be able to neutralize these elements. It is a continuing operation against Abu Sayyaf and Abu Sufia Gang," Gurrea revealed.
He also said they are tightening security measures around the city in coordination with other law enforcement agencies as the kidnap groups reportedly conduct diversionary activities when being pursued by government troops.
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