GOVERNMENT troops have found a newly abandoned camp of the Abu Sayyaf bandits, as the offensive against the terrorists continues in the province of Sulu.

Brigadier General Alan Arrojado, Joint Task Group Sulu commander, said the camp was found around 10:50 a.m. Friday in the village of Maligay, Patikul, while the troops were scouring the hinterlands.

The camp has 26 structures that can accommodate 60 people, said Arrojado.

He said that a group of around 15 Abu Sayyaf bandits were monitored to have used the camp three days ago and left before the troops arrived.

The government forces are continuously tracking down the Abu Sayyaf bandits following the launching last month of the "focused military operations (FMO)."

The targets of the FMO are the senior leaders of the Abu Sayyaf Group and their foreign cohorts, who are hiding in the province of Sulu. (Bong Garcia)