Ibinunyag kahapon ng Armed Forces of the Philippines na pito pang members ng Abu Sayyaf Group ang sumuko sa Joint Task Force Sulu sa ilalim ng Western Mindanao Command noong Lunes dahil sa all-out military offensive laban sa bandit group.
Kinilala ng AFP ang mga sumuko na sina Aminula Sakili, Saharijan Sakili, Haydel Sahidul, Sattar Sadjal, Orik Samsuraji, Princibal Abdan, and Annu Asaraji, alias “Anwar.”
Sumuko ang pito sa Sitio Kanjawali, Barangay Tandu Bato, Luuk, Sulu.
Isinuko nila ang isang M16 rifle, an M14 rifle, a Garand rifle, a Caliber .38 pistol, at Caliber .45 pistol.
Sinabi ni Lieutenant General Carlito G. Galvez Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command, na ang mga sumuko ay tagasunod nila sub-leaders Sansibar Bensio and Tomas Idjas na tauhan ni sub leader Alhabsy Misaya na namatay kamakailan sa encounter sa Bohol.
Sumailalim ang pito sa isang ceremony na kung saan sila ay nangako sa Qu’ran na they “would no longer involve themselves in any act of terrorism and lawlessness.”
“Initial information taken from them indicates that they surrendered for fear that the government will suddenly be at their door step already. They said, they no longer feel safe after Misaya was killed and some of their fellow Abus surrendered,” sinabi ni Galvez. (Francis T. Wakefield)