Hostilities shift from Central Mindanao to Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Hostilities shifted from Central Mindanao to Sulu this year with the military still pursuing the Abu Sayyaf terrorists and their supporters from the Misuari Breakaway Group (MBG).

With the ceasefire in place between government troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the military was able to focus on Sulu. However, 30 soldiers, including a senior officer, were killed while 84 others were wounded in the encounters. More than 60 rebels — Abu Sayyaf and other renegades — were also killed and an undetermined number wounded.

The offensive that started in February against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu has prompted the MBG — made up of rebel supporters of former Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao governor Nur Misuari — to take advantage of the situation and attack military camps.

The fighting initially left 27 soldiers dead, including Lt. Col. Dennis Villanueva, commanding officer of the 53rd Infantry Battalion, and 65 others wounded. Also killed in the three-week offensive were 40 rebels and many wounded from the MBG.

The military took control of the rebel’s main headquarters in Bitan-ag but MBG leader Habier Malik slipped through the military dragnet. The hostilities left more than 15,000 civilians homeless as villagers fled their homes to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

The military offensive dragged on after the escape of Malik and reduced the assault to a search operation. It also halted the implementation of foreign aid under the Growth With Equity in Mindanao project and other US-supported livelihood and development efforts.

The aftermath brought various government agencies and non-government organizations to work together in the rehabilitation process. Millions of pesos poured in while pledges amounted to more than P100 million.

Projects include building core shelters for civilians whose houses were pillaged by the MBG in apparent reprisal for not supporting them in Panamao; constructing classrooms, mosques, water systems; and rehabilitation of hospitals. The US military troops also stepped in to help in the rehabilitation effort.

Meanwhile, the military’s Joint Task Force Comet commanding two brigades — 104th Army Brigade and 3rd Marine Brigade — resumed its attacks on the Abu Sayyaf group that pounced on patrolling Marines, killing four troopers and wounding 11 others.

When the fighting resumed Nov. 11 in Indanan and Panamao towns, 20 Abu Sayyaf members under Umbra Jumdail, alias Dr. Abu Pula and Albader Parad, were also killed.

The Malik group attacked the newly rehabilitated town center in Panamao in an effort to divert the military offensive. The latest attack of the MBG forced 5,000 civilians to flee Panamao. So far, the offensives left three soldiers — including an army ranger, two marines, and 19 others — wounded.

But after 10 months of protracted offensive against the MBG and the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf, the hostilities were reduced to the military’s call for the rebels to surrender their weapons.

Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan recently demanded that Malik surrender his mortars or "be hunted anywhere, anytime."

Adan blamed the mortars used by the MBG for the death of Villanueva who was hit while responding to attacks launched by the rebels across Sulu last February.

Adan, who is scheduled to retire in January, said the troops would continue their campaign to eliminate the Abu Sayyaf while putting pressure on the MBG to stop supporting the terrorist group.

The military offensive, which resumed in November, led to the military takeover of four more Abu Sayyaf camps but fell short of neutralizing the terrorist band even after more than a decade of fighting.