Philippines fears Malaysian militant leader survived Marawi siege and could restart Islamic extremist alliance
Army is trying to validate reports that Amin Baco escaped the war ravaged city to Sulu province and is hiding with Abu Sayyaf fighters
Philippine troops are trying to validate intelligence information that a Malaysian militant leader survived the defeat of an Islamic State-linked siege and is helping restart efforts to establish an extremist alliance, a military official said on Wednesday.
Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana said troops were trying to validate reports that Amin Baco was wounded during the siege of southern Marawi city but managed to escape to Sulu province, where he is hiding with Abu Sayyaf militants.
Rebel leader Yusop Jikiri of the Moro National Liberation Front, which has a peace treaty with the government, told Associated Press that his group received information that Baco is being protected by Abu Sayyaf commander Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, the Malaysian militant’s Filipino father-in-law, in the mountains off Sulu’s Patikul town. Sawadjaan is a notorious kidnapper linked to several abductions of foreign tourists.
“We also got that information and we’re validating it,” Sobejana said. “Our efforts against this group have been relentless.”
Abu Amri Taddik, the rebel intelligence chief of Jikiri’s group, said Baco was involved in renewed efforts to establish an IS-linked alliance of several groups including the Abu Sayyaf.