Philippine forces kill wanted Muslim militant leader

COTABATO, Philippines — Philippine forces connected Friday killed 1 of the country’s most-wanted Muslim militant leaders and his woman who were aligned with the Islamic State radical and were blamed for deadly bombings, killings and extortion successful the southbound for much than a decade, the subject said.

Army and constabulary forces raided a hideout of the militant radical Daulah Islamiya successful a distant country of Talayan municipality successful Maguindanao state and killed its leader, Salahuddin Hassan, and his woman successful a 30-minute gunbattle earlier dawn. More than 2 twelve different gunmen managed to escape, determination subject commandant Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy said.

Assault rifles, ammunition and rebel documents were seized by troops astatine the country of the battle, Uy said.

Hassan and his radical were allegedly progressive successful a fig of bombings aimed astatine extorting wealth from businesses and transport companies. One of the astir salient attacks was the 2016 bombing of a nighttime marketplace that near 15 radical dormant and scores wounded successful Davao city, President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown, the subject said.

Hassan’s radical was besides blamed for the 2014 bombing of a autobus successful the southbound that killed 11 radical and wounded 15 others. In June, his men burned a autobus successful M’lang municipality successful confederate Cotabato state successful an onslaught that killed 4 radical and injured respective others, the subject said.

Hassan founded the extortion radical Al-Khobar, which was blamed for bombings, extortion and different attacks from 2007 to 2015. He was trained by a rebel commander, Basit Usman, a notorious bomb-maker, and a Malaysian militant, Zulkifli bin Hir, besides known arsenic Marwan, subject officials said. They were among Southeast Asia’s most-wanted militant suspects earlier being killed by authorities forces, they said.

Daulah Islamiya is 1 of a fig of tiny but convulsive groups which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State radical and rejected a 2014 autonomy woody betwixt the largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and the Philippine authorities nether a bid pact brokered by Malaysia.

The Moro rebels are present among the administrators of a Muslim autonomous portion successful the south, homeland of number Muslims successful the mostly Roman Catholic nation.

Hassan besides allegedly provided bomb-making grooming to militants belonging to the Abu Sayyaf group, according to a erstwhile Abu Sayyaf militant who has been captured by authorities forces. The radical has been blamed for bombings, ransom kidnappings and beheadings and is listed arsenic a violent enactment by the United States and the Philippines,