MANILA: The Philippine military is working to confirm reports of the death of the top leader of the militant Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Radullan Sahiron, according to an announcement on Monday.
ASG, established in 1991 and initially influenced by Al-Qaeda, has gained notoriety for its involvement in assassinations, extortion, and kidnappings since the early 2000s.
Some factions of the group pledged allegiance to Daesh (ISIS) in 2014, exacerbating the violent conflict from 2011 to 2018.
Sahiron, who has been on the FBI’s most-wanted list since 1993 with a bounty of $1 million on his head, served as ASG’s chief leader and was one of its founding members.
Major General Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of the 11th Infantry Division responsible for countering militancy in Sulu province, stated that they had received information regarding Sahiron’s death. However, the military has yet to recover his body and is reaching out to former ASG members and even his family to verify the reports.
Abu Sayyaf Group Presence in Philippine
Sulu province, located in the Mindanao region, was previously known as a stronghold of ASG. With no known successor to Sahiron, his demise could potentially lead to the decline of the group.
Sahiron assumed leadership in 2006 following the death of Khadafi Janjalani, who had succeeded his brother Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani, the founder of ASG.
Maj. Gen. Patrimonio mentioned that there have been numerous reports of Sahiron’s death and noted that 21 of his closest followers had surrendered earlier this year. There are indications that Sahiron, who is in his late 70s, has been in poor health, potentially due to old age.
Rikard Jalkebro, an expert on international relations and associate professor at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi, believes that Sahiron’s death could present an opportunity for the Philippine military to neutralize ASG.
Jalkebro stated that the capture, killing, and surrender of high-profile ASG members signify the ongoing decline of the group.
