Al-Al Sawadjaan, Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) sub-leader Injam Yadah, an alias ‘Raup,’ and another ASG member yet to be identified were killed in a law enforcement operation-turned-shootout in Jolo, Sulu.
“This transpired around 2:00 a.m. of June 13, 2021, when the combined elements of troops under Joint Task Force-Sulu and the PNP were to serve a warrant of arrest for sub-leader Yadah,” Joint Task Force (JTF) -Sulu and 11th Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. William Gonzales said.
“Our security forces were fired upon by the ASG terrorists as they were to enter the sub-leader’s residence in Brgy Alat, Jolo, Sulu. We returned fire that resulted in the neutralization of four Abu Sayyafs.”
Recovered at the scene were an M653 carbine rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, improvised explosive device components, and 15 mobile phones.
Yadah died on the spot with his followers identified as alias ‘Raup,’ Al-al Sawadjaan, the youngest brother of bomber Mundi Sawadjaan, and another still unidentified.
According to 35th Infantry Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Wilfredo Borgonia, Yadah was involved in the kidnapping of several Filipino and foreign nationals.
“Yadah played a key role in the kidnapping of five Indonesian nationals in Malaysian waters in January 2020. These were the kidnap victims rescued in Tawi-tawi earlier this year,” Borgonia said in an interview.
“He was also involved in the Dr. Moreno kidnapping in Jolo and the Filipino-American Rex Triplett kidnapping in Zamboanga del Norte that both happened last year, and the Tulawie kidnappings way back in 2018,” he added.
Al-Al Sawadjaan is known to have some knowledge in bomb making and had pledged as a suicide bomber.
“We’ve long been on the hunt for Yadah, he has a reputation of being extremely violent – beheading captured innocent civilians and security forces alike. Finally, his hideous acts will now come to a full stop,” Gonzales said.
“All of our forces under JTF-Sulu are doubling our efforts to also catch Mundi Sawadjaan. His brothers are now dead and we are optimistic that he will also be neutralized. When that day comes, we can say that we have achieved total peace in the province. The local government and people here are alongside us in this endeavor,” he added. # (JTF-Sulu) – jlo
