Abu Sayyaf figure killed in Philippines' south
Ninok Sappari was accused of kidnapping, murder
By Hader Glang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
Government forces have said they killed the leader of an Abu Sayyaf group accused of kidnapping and murder.
The death of
Western Mindanao Command said Sappari died during a joint military and police pursuit operation in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi province.
WesMinCom spokeswoman Capt. Jo-Ann Petinglay said Sappari evaded the first operation at a beach resort in
Petinglay said Sappari and a follower stayed at the resort for days while looking for kidnapping targets.
"Sappari was later neutralized around 9:30 p.m. in
"Sappari is the leader of Abu Sayyaf who perpetrated the assassinations of soldiers and kidnappings lately of locals in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi," said Petinglay.
Sappari's group was also accused of the kidnapping of a German couple off Palawan in 2014, a Jordanian journalist in 2012 and the beheading of a school principal snatched in 2009 in Sulu.
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