Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 23) – Two members of terrorist group Abu Sayyaf, including a brother of the suspected mastermind of the Jolo twin bombings last year, died in a clash with troops in Sulu Friday afternoon.
Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr. confirmed the deaths of Mujafal Sawadjaan and Muktihar Taha after a five-minute exchange of gunfire with security forces.
Mujafal is the brother of bomb expert Mundi Sawadjaan — tagged as the mastermind of the twin suicide bombings in Jolo, Sulu last August 2020 which killed 14 and injured 75 people.
“Mujafal was in the ASG watchlist as of the yearend 2020. He is the brother of Mundi. On the other hand, Mukti was not on the watchlist but he was known to be an active follower of Mundi,” Vinluan said.
Mujafal is the third brother of Mundi to be killed by the military, after siblings Madsmar and Mannul suffered the same fate in a separate firefight last November 3.
Vinluan said one Abu Sayyaf member escaped from Friday’s encounter.
Joint Task Force Sulu Commander Maj. Gen. William Gonzales revealed the military had a series of encounters with Abu Sayyaf gunmen prior to the deaths of Sawadjaan and Taha.
“We have received initial reports indicating that Mundi’s youngest brother Al-al Sawadjaan was also neutralized during the encounters but it is yet to be verified. All our forces are on high alert as we continue to hunt for Mundi Sawadjaan,” Gonzales said. “With the death of most of his followers, it is possible that Mundi is evading our forces all by himself.”
