(Eagle News) – The Philippine military prevented a plan of foreign terrorists to stage a suicide bombing in Jolo, Sulu on Tuesday, Nov. 5, with the killing of three suicide bombers, two of them foreign terrorists, in Indanan town.
In a statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said that terrorists – two foreigners and a local Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) member — were “neutralized” in “a military operation intended to apprehend foreign terrorists in Sulu” at around 4:50 p.m. Tuesday.
The terrorists were then “about to carry out their suicide bombing mission in Metro Jolo” which could have caused “tremendous casualties,” according to the AFP.
“The foreign terrorists were allegedly the husband and son of the foreign suicide bomber who attacked a military post in KM3, Bgy. Tagbak, Indanan, Sulu on September 8, 2019,” an AFP release from the Joint Task Force Sulu said.
The terrorists were on their way to Jolo when members of the 41st Infantry Battalion and 1102nd Infantry Brigade of the AFP flagged them down along the national road in Indanan, Sulu.
The terrorists then fired at the apprehending AFP personnel, prompting the “government forces to fire back” killing the three men.
“The hostile plan of the terrorists in Sulu could have caused tremendous casualties and could have tarnished the image of this country if not immediately acted upon by our soldiers,” said Col. Ignatius Patrimonio, Commander of the 1102nd Infantry Brigade.
“Hence, I commend them for such patriotic act,” he added.
A police spot report identified the foreign terrorists killed in the operations as Egyptian nationals.
“Recovered from the terrorists were one caliber 45 pistol with ammunition, one hand grenade, and two vests with explosives and triggering devices identical to the vest used by the suicide bombers during the two IED attacks in Brgy Tanung, Indanan Sulu on June 28 and September 8 of this year,” the AFP release said.
Major General Corleto Vinluan Jr., Commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu, lauded the military personnel who carried out the military operations for “their sacrifices, superb planning and careful execution of their tasks to apprehend suicide bombers.”
He warned the remaining Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Sulu to surrender.
“The AFP in Sulu will continue to hunt down all the remaining ASG members in Sulu. Hence, I urge them to surrender and live a normal life instead of being hunted down as fleeing criminals and a disgrace to the peace-loving Tausug Community,” Vinluan warned.
The military operation against the terrorists happened in Sitio Itawon, Bgy. Kan Islam, Indanan, Sulu.
