Courtesy Asia Times Online: By Jacob Zenn. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has recently redoubled its efforts to capture suspected insurgents responsible for the killing of 19 special forces troops in al-Barka, Basilan in mid-October and in the process uproot the remaining pockets of Abu Sayyaf fighters in southern Mindanao.

The capture of three fighters from Puruji Indama’s Abu Sayyaf cell in Basilan in mid-November and the recent apparent success of air strikes on suspected Abu Sayyaf hideouts are a sign of growing pressure on the al-Qaeda-linked terror group. However, as Abu Sayyaf has done for the past decade, it has so far managed to survive the assault and remain a lethal threat.

On November 15, AFP troops from the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion spotted fighters of Indama’s cell in makeshift tents in a forested…….. read more

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/ML09Ae01.html