Abu Sayyaf, officially known by the Islamic State as the Islamic State – East Asia Province, is a Jihadist militant and pirate group that follows the Wahhabi doctrine of Sunni Islam. It is based in and around Jolo and Basilan islands in the southwestern part of the Philippines, where for more than four decades, Moro groups have been engaged in an insurgency seeking to make Moro Province independent. The group is considered violent and was responsible for the Philippines' worst terrorist attack, the bombing of Superferry 14 in 2004, which killed 116 people. The name of the group is derived from the Arabic abu ; "father of"), and sayyaf. As of June 2021, the group is estimated to have less than 50 members, down from 1,250 in 2000. They use mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles.
Khadaffy Abubakar Janjalani was the leader of the Moro militant group known as Abu Sayyaf and the leader of one of its factions.
Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines (OEF-P) or Operation Freedom Eagle was part of Operation Enduring Freedom and the global War on Terror. The Operation targeted the various Jihadist terror groups operating in the country. By 2009, about 600 U.S. military personnel were advising and assisting the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the Southern Philippines. In addition, by 2014, the CIA had sent its elite paramilitary officers from their Special Activities Division to hunt down and kill or capture key terrorist leaders. This group had the most success in combating and capturing Al-Qaeda leaders and the leaders of associated groups like Abu Sayyaf.
The Moro conflict is an insurgency in the Mindanao region of the Philippines, which has involved multiple armed groups, and has been ongoing since March 1968.
Jainal Antel Sali Jr. was a senior leader of Abu Sayyaf, an Islamist terrorist organization affiliated with Al Qaeda.
The Light Reaction Regiment is the premier counter-terrorist unit of the Philippine Army. It was formerly known as the Light Reaction Battalion and Light Reaction Company. Due to its specialization in counter-terrorism operations and its formation with the assistance of American advisers, the Light Reaction Regiment has been sometimes referred to as the Philippines' Delta Force.
Radullan Sahiron is a Moro Islamic militant who is the leader of Abu Sayyaf. He is said to have taken command of the organization following the death of Khadaffy Janjalani in September 2006.
The Western Mindanao Command is the Armed Forces of the Philippines' unified command in charge of the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and the BARMM. It is responsible for the defense of these areas against external aggresion, as well as combating terrorism and insurgency. It is also one of the government organizations advocating the "Culture of Peace" in Mindanao.
The 5th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, known officially as the Star Division, is the Philippine Army's primary infantry unit in Northern Luzon, and specializes in anti-guerrilla warfare.
The 104th Infantry Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Philippine Army, known officially as the Sultan Brigade, is one of the brigades of the Philippine Army which is organic to its 1st Infantry Division. It is an infantry unit, and specializes in anti-guerrilla warfare.
The Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) is a special forces unit of the Philippine Army. The unit is based on and continually trains with its American counterpart, the U.S. Army Special Forces.
The mission of the 16th Attack Squadron is to provide tactical air operations designed to destroy enemy forces and installations. Its specific functions include: providing close air support to ground and naval forces; performing tactical air reconnaissance; provides rocket, bomb, gun attacks on enemy forces and installations; and providing deployment of combat ready forces in areas of operations as required by higher headquarters.
The Maute group, also known as the Islamic State of Lanao, was a radical Islamist group composed of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas and foreign fighters led by Omar Maute, the alleged founder of a Dawlah Islamiya, or Islamic state, based in Lanao del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines. The group, which a Philippine Army brigade commander characterized as terrorist, had been conducting a protection racket in the remote settlements of Butig, Lanao del Sur. It had clashed on several occasions with Armed Forces of the Philippines troops, the most significant of which began in May 2017 and culminated in the Battle of Marawi.
The siege of Marawi, also known as the Marawi crisis, and the Battle of Marawi, was a five-month-long armed conflict in Marawi, Philippines, that started on May 23, 2017, between Philippine government security forces and militants affiliated with the Islamic State (IS), including the Maute and Abu Sayyaf Salafi jihadist groups. The battle also became the longest urban battle in the modern history of the Philippines.
The Philippines is one of the state opponents of the militant group, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), more commonly referred to by the local media as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
General Cirilito Elola Sobejana is a retired Filipino General who served as the 55th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and a known recipient of the Philippines' highest military award for courage, the Medal of Valor. He served as commander of the AFP Western Mindanao Command from June 28, 2019, to August 4, 2020 and Chief of the Army from August 4, 2020, to February 4, 2021. He served as the former commander of the 6th Infantry Division in 2018, and the Joint Task Force Sulu in 2017. He was chief of staff of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in 2013.
The 11th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, also called the Alakdan Division, is one of the Philippine Army's infantry units in Mindanao. Currently still forming, the Division is expected to complete its equipment and manpower requirements by 2022. It is the youngest of all the infantry divisions of the Army and will have 4,500 troops when fully formed.
In the morning of January 27, 2019, two bombs exploded at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu, Philippines. Twenty people were killed and 102 others injured. The bombings took place a week after the autonomy plebiscite held on January 21 for the creation of Bangsamoro. It is believed that the attacks were carried out by the Abu Sayyaf, and the Islamic State claimed responsibility. President Rodrigo Duterte responded by issuing an "all-out war" directive against the Abu Sayyaf. The bombings were widely condemned by neighboring and distant countries, local and foreign organizations all issuing condemnations and condolences to the victims of the cathedral attack.
Felimon Talusan Santos Jr. is a retired Filipino general who served as the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Prior to his appointment, he served as the commander of the AFP Eastern Mindanao Command, and the 7th Infantry Division. He is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy "Sinagtala" Class of 1986.
The 2020 Jolo bombings occurred on August 24, 2020, when insurgents alleged to be jihadists from the Abu Sayyaf group detonated two bombs in Jolo, Sulu, Philippines, killing 14 people and wounding 75 others. The first occurred as Philippine Army personnel were assisting in carrying out COVID-19 humanitarian efforts. The second, a suicide bombing, was carried out near the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral.
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