16 August 2016•Update: 16 August 2016
By Hader Glang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines
After a month-long operation Philippine government troops have seized a stronghold of a Daesh-affiliated group in the country's Muslim south following an intensified military offensive.
Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., Western Mindanao Command spokesman, said in a statement Tuesday that soldiers had taken over an Abu Sayyaf camp in Tipo-Tipo town in Basilan island province after the prolonged assault.
"The captured camp is fortified with 10 bunkers measuring 4x4x5 feet that can be occupied by more or less seven people and four tunnels that can be occupied by 20 people," Tan said.
He added that several foxholes could be occupied by eight people, and a kitchen hut and an exit post were also discovered, along with two improvised explosive devices with improvised electric blasting cap components.
"The camp was then declared clear by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team. At around 2.21pm (0621GMT) of the same day [Monday], operating troops displaced the area and established defensive position in the said area," Tan added.
The seizure occurred after troops took control of strategic strongholds of the group in Barangay Proper on Sunday, including a hill from where the Abu Sayyaf was able to organize operations to intimidate nearby communities.
Tan said the combined assault from the Special Forces, other elite counter terrorism units, and light armor cavalry troops -- with support from massive artillery fire -- forced the enemy to abandon their stronghold which was fortified with seven foxholes, and twelve bunkers capable of accommodating at least 80 terrorists.
"Prior to the taking of the stronghold, the almost month-long operations yielded to more or less a total of 45 ASG [Abu Sayyaf Group] members killed as per intelligence reports and body counts, and a caliber .50 heavy machine gun recovered along with several IEDs," said Tan.
"Military troops also recovered three unexploded ordnances and several IEDs."
Lt. Col. Andrew Bacala, Jr., commanding officer of the 4th Special Forces Battalion, underlined that ensuing operations had liberated the populace of Baguindan, Tipo-Tipo and Bohe Piang of Al-Barka in Basilan from the group.
He added that since last month, 12 Special Forces operators had infiltrated strategic communities in the area from where they were able to earn the trust of the local populace to support ongoing military operations.
Basilan, an impoverished island of about 400,000 people, has long been a stronghold of the group, of which Isnilon Hapilon is acknowledged to be the leader.
A $5 million bounty has been placed on him by the United States government for the murder of three of its citizens.
Since 1991, the Abu Sayyaf -- armed with mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles -- has carried out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortions in a self-determined fight for an independent province in the Philippines.
It is notorious for beheading victims after ransoms have failed to be paid for their release.
The Abu Sayyaf is among two militant groups in the south who have pledged allegiance to Daesh, prompting fears during the stalling of a peace process between the government and the country's biggest Moro group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, that Daesh could make inroads in a region torn by decades of armed conflict.
