[Gulf Today] Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte again ordered the military to wipe out the Abu Sayyaf which he said has remained one of the nation's major threats. Duterte issued the order during his visit to a military camp in the capital town of Jolo, Sulu to award medals to the 28 soldiers injured in a recent clash with the Abu Sayyaf.In his order, Duterte pointed out the campaign against the terrorist group should be treated equally with the war on illegal drugs which he launched after he became president in June 1016. He said, "We will not let up in the war on drugs and the Abu Sayyaf. They would not honor their word. If they like to kill, then, we’lll kill them up to the last men," in his speech before local officials and ranking military officers.
In a briefing, the military informed Duterte that the Abu Sayyaf has divided their 19 remaining foreign and Filipino hostages into five groups to elude pursuing security forces.
Earlier Duterte ordered the military to use all available resources including recently-acquired Philippine Air Force attack helicopters to launch a search and destroy operation against the terrorist group.