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| Southeast Asia |
| Janjalani has fled to MILF enclave |
| 2004-11-24 |
| ABU Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani has been forced out of Basilan Island and is in mainland Mindanao seeking cover in areas where a ceasefire between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is in effect, the military said Monday. "Janjalani is in the mainland because he could not hide anymore in Basilan. Another reason he is in the mainland is to take advantage of the ceasefire," Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Efren Abu told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo. "He can always hide in MILF territory because he knows very well that we just cannot go to MILF territory," Abu said. When asked if separatist rebels were coddling Janjalani, Abu said: "I don't want to say that because the MILF has denied links with the Abu Sayyaf group." Abu noted that the MILF helped the government rescue Italian aid worker Andrea Cianferoni from his kidnappers two weeks ago. He said Janjalani's alleged presence in the area prompted the military to launch an air raid in the marshlands of Datu Piang town in Maguindanao province, a known MILF stronghold, over the weekend. Abu said an MILF fighter was confirmed injured in the attack but the military helped him. He also rejected the rebels' allegation that the attack violated the ceasefire because it had the approval of the rebel panel in the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH). |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |