SULU, once considered the most dangerous province in the country, is now clear from the influence of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the most violent of the Islamic separatist groups operating in southern Philippines, the miitary said on Wednesday.BGen. Taharudin P. Ampatuan, assistant division commander of the 11th Infantry Alakdan Division, issued the statement following the declaration that four remaining villages in the province were free from the Al-Qaeda-linked extremist on July 27.The four villages were Barangay Kagay, Barangay Sawaki, Barangay Tumantangis and Bud Taran all in Indanan.Cpt. Omar Pamen, Civil-Military Officer of 1103rd Infantry Kalis Brigade who presented the result of the Community Support Program- Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (CSP-PCVE), said these villages were declared clear from ASG influence after a series of evaluations and validation.The towns of Maimbung, Talipao and Patikul had been declared Abu Sayyaf-free.The Philippine Army said Sulu is
ZAMBOANGA CITY - Three soldiers were wounded during a firefight between government troops under Joint Task Force Sulu (JTF-Sulu) and the Abu Sayyaf in Barangay Tumantangis, Indanan, Sulu on Sunday, May 15. Soldiers under the 100th Infantry Battalion of JTF-Sulu were on their way to verify the infor