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Philippines Army Steps Up Anti-Militant Operation

14/08/09August 14, 2009

In the Philippines, the army has stepped up its naval patrols in the country’s south after clashes earlier this week with a separatist group left over 50 dead. Abu Sayyaf is considered to be one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the Philippines. Despite several attempts by the 120,000-strong Filipino army, the group, which has only 400 members, has managed to survive since its inception in the early 1990s.

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Abu Sayyaf is blamed for several terrorist attacks in recent years
Abu Sayyaf is blamed for several terrorist attacks in recent yearsImage: AP

The clash between the Abu Sayyaf militants and the army on early Thursday morning left 23 soldiers and at least 30 militants dead.

The firefights came after a long pause of operations against Abu Sayyaf, also known as the ASG, by the Philippines military.

The last ambush had happened in August of 2007 when more than 50 militants were killed.

Foremost security threat

Mars Buan, an analyst at the Pacific Strategies and Assessments risk consultancy, said that the latest fighting would not be a great setback: “Let’s keep in mind that the ASG is a 400-strong group that has been operating since the 1990s and has suffered a lot of casualties.”

“This will not be the first time that the ASG has sustained a 20 or so casualties -- there have been bigger casualties. It has always managed to re-group itself and remains the foremost security threat.”

In the early 1990s, the ASG decided to split from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), one of the main Muslim separatist movements in the country at that time, after the MNLF entered into an autonomy agreement with the government.

Since the split, the ASG has mainly targeted Christians and foreigners in the region. It wants a separate Islamic state in the country’s south.

But Buan says that ASG’s strength has dwindled over the years: “From a peak in the late 1990s, there are now very few ASG members who were educated abroad, highly skilled in combat training or have an extensive network of foreign allies and financiers. Right now, it is believed that a significant number of current ASG members are poorly and uneducated young adults in their early 20s.”

Not enough funding and logistical support

In 2006, the Philippine army, backed by US army intelligence and logistical support, launched Operation Ultimatum against Abu Sayyaf militants on the southern island of Jolo and the Sulu archipelago.

Since then, the army has not been able to maintain a steady tempo in its struggle against them. Experts attribute this to the fact that funds and logistical support from the US military have not been constant.

Various intelligence agencies suspect Abu Sayyaf of having links with al-Qaeda. The US state department has officially included it on its list of terrorist groups.

The outfit is a tough nut to crack, said Buan: “This is in large part because of its general structure. There are about seven factions operating in the ASG and they operate independently. They can plan and conduct attacks independently.”

Despite recent statements by the army that the war against militants such as Abu Sayyaf will be over before the end of the year, observers think that unless more funds pour in, it is far from over.

Author: Pukhraj Choudhary
Editor: Anne Thomas