Highly wanted Abu Sayyaf subleader arrested by police commandos in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Philippine police commandos arrested a highly wanted Abu Sayyaf subleader, who was under the group of a slain emir of Daesh Southeast Asia, during an operation in Zamboanga City on Sunday, police said.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) spearheaded the operation that netted Isnirul Kirih a.k.a Kiri / Kirin while serving an arrest warrant on him, who had a bounty of PhP 5,300,000 (US$96,746) on his head, the PNP said in a statement.

Troops from PNP SAF’s 5th and 7th Special Action Battalions spearheaded the operation to nab Isnirul in Sinunoc village in the morning operation.

Isnirul, according to PNP, is a subleader operating in the southern provinces of Basilan and Sulu under the group of the late Abu Sayyaf and Daesh Southeast Asia leader, Isnilon Hapilon, in Sumisip municipality, Basilan; and still-at-large Abu Sayyaf leader Radullan Sahiron in Patikul municipality, Sulu.?

Isnilon was killed by government forces during a five-month battle in Lanao del Sur’s provincial capital city of Marawi in 2017 when pro-Daesh local terror groups laid siege on the city to create a Daesh territory for the region.

Isnirul is also listed as the second-most wanted person by the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO BAR), PNP said, adding he has arrest warrants for seven murder and 25 frustrated murder cases.

Isnirul has been using different aliases as shown by recovered identification cards with fictitious names such as Sakirin L. Kiram, Sakirin Isnain Kiram and Sakirin I Kiram, PNP said.

The operation was joined and supported by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Sulu Provincial Field Unit, Regional Intelligence Division PRO BAR, Regional Intelligence Unit 9, Sinunuc police, Police Regional Office 9, Scene of the Crime Operatives 9, 904th Regional Mobile Force Company and Regional Mobile Force Battalion 9.