US military says Sayyaf now isolated

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — A US military official said government troops have been successful in isolating the Abu Sayyaf bandits holding Italian Red Cross volunteer Italian Eugenio Vagni hostage in a small area in the dense jungle of Sulu.

Col. William Coultrup, commander of the US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P), said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also reduced the capability of the Abu Sayyaf to fight back and launch counter offensives.

Coultrup said US forces are helping in the search and rescue effort for Vagni as part of their role of providing intelligence assistance and training to Filipino troops under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

Coultrup said US special forces are working in close coordination with the Task Force Comet commander Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban to help in locating the Italian hostage by providing intelligence feeds and technical support.

He said the AFP had been successful in isolating the bandits.

“I see a big difference… what you are seeing now it’s smaller and smaller pockets (of violence). And that’s the goal in trying to reduce the violent areas while improving the other areas,” Coultrup said.

Coultrup though admitted the AFP is still facing the challenge of controlling the other areas where the relatives and sympathizers of the Abu Sayyaf are operating.

He said it would not be easy for the military to introduce humanitarian missions to the families of the Abu Sayyaf and expect them to just give up.

“That’s the challenge the AFP is trying to work (on) seriously,” Coultrup said.– Roel Pareño