Armed Forces to run after Abu Sayyaf, BIFF next

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines is eying on targeting the Abu Sayyaf group and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters once the Marawi crisis ends in a vow to end terrorism in Mindanao.

AFP chief Eduardo Año said government forces would run after the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu and Basilan as well as the BIFF in Maguindanao. He also estimated that the crisis would be over by the end of December 2017.

“This will continue. There will be no let-up. It's about time to end these terrorists in Mindanao,” Año said.

Año made the statement after Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and one of the Maute brothers, Omar, have been killed in action in Marawi 147 days into the crisis.

READ: Isnilon Hapilon, Omar Maute confirmed killed in Marawi

The AFP chief said there are still ongoing firefights in the vicinity where Hapilon and Maute were killed. He said there are still less than eight foreign fighters including Malaysians and Indonesians in the battlefield but a prominent terrorist left is a certain Dr. Mahmud from Malaysia.

Año said the remaining terrorists are “not as aggressive as before.”

The Armed Forces, however, said they are now focused on rescuing the remaining hostages. Año said there are 22 hostages.

Meanwhile, Año said there are also an estimated 30 relatives of the Mautes considered as strugglers as they no longer have leaders and “they are on their own.”

The AFP chief said joining relatives in battle is a violation of the rule of fire but assured that government forces would still rescue them.

As of October 16, Año reported that 824 terrorists were killed, 827 firearms were recovered and 1,771 hostages were rescued. On the part of the government, 162 soldiers were killed and 1,000 others were wounded in action.

Marawi City has been besieged by the ISIS-inspired terror group Maute since May. On May 23, President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in the whole of Mindanao to neutralize the local terror group and contain violence in the region. He also suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the region.

The martial law will take effect until December 2017.