On Sunday, Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the anti-terrorism task force of the Philippine Army announced that the Philippine forces managed to kill a commander of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, the ISIS branch in the Philippines.
According to Sobejana, Badong Muktadil was aboard a wooden boat with a number of his fighters near Jolo Island, south of Manila when Philippine troops killed him.
Muktadil was one of the high ranking commanders of Abu Sayyaf Group and he was wanted for kidnapping, murder and attacks on foreign vessels at the maritime border with Malaysia, according to Sobejana.
“The neutralization of Badong is another big setback for Abu Sayyaf group, particularly on their kidnapping and terrorist activities”, General Sobejana said regarding the operation.
Clashes continued in Marawi city, south of the Philippines, where ISIS claimed that its snipers killed 4 Philippine soldiers in Alaa Street in Marawi city yesterday. ISIS also claimed that its fighters killed 5 other soldiers and destroyed an armored vehicle of the Philippine Army after targeting it with rocket-propelled grenades in the Belot district of Marawi city yesterday as well.
It is worth to mention that the Philippine Defense Minister announced that the Philippine Army need two months to liberate Marawi city, as more than 100 ISIS fighters are believed to be inside the city. Recently rescued hostages confirmed that a large number of ISIS fighters in Marawi are minors.
