BASILAN, Philippines – Government troops killed a leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group in a 30-minute firefight in Basilan that aimed to have him arrested.
Philippine police and military personnel killed Abu Sayyaf leader Abdulhasan Yusop Sanajalun, aka Bullet, at 4 am on Sunday, November 8.
The firefight erupted as government forces wanted to serve a warrant of arrest against Bullet in Campo Dos, Colonia, Lamitan City.
An undetermined number of gunmen fired at the joint team of military and police personnel.
This did not deter government troops from trying to seize Bullet.
In the process, the encounter left 3 military personnel wounded.
Bullet has warrants of arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention, issued by a court in Zamboanga City.
He was involved in a series of killings of military and police personnel, retailers, and foreign nationals. His group was also engaged in extortion, as well as the kidnapping of 3 construction firm employees in Barangay Cadayan in the municipality of Akbar in January. – Richard Falcatan/Rappler.com