An alleged ISIS liaison with the Abu Sayyaf was killed in a clash with the government forces in Sulu on Friday morning, a military spokesman said Saturday.

Lt. Col. Gerald Monfort, Joint Task Force Sulu spokesman, identified the Abu Sayyaf member is the link of the group to ISIS ( Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) as Talha Jumsah alias Abu Talha, a Tausug born in Patikul, who is a high-value target of the military in Sulu.

“Accordingly, he (Jumsah) is an ISIS-trained IED expert who served as an instructor to the Abu Sayyaf in the fabrication of a more lethal and destructive IEDs that caused tremendous casualties during the suicide bombings in Sulu,” he said.

“He (Jumsah) also served as the finance conduit and liaison between foreign and local terrorist communication lines,” he added.

Monfort said Jumsah was killed in an armed confrontation with the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion in Sitio Tubig Amu, Brgy. Tanum, Patikul at 7:15 am Friday.

“The cadaver of Abu Talha was recovered 800 meters away from the encounter site at 08:30am today (November 23, 2019) as a result of the follow-up operations conducted by the 1101st Infantry Brigade,” he said.

Brig. Gen Antonio Nafarrete, 1101st Brigade Commander said “the death of Abu Talha will surely cause demoralization in the Abu Sayyaf ranks in Sulu.”

“It could not have been made possible without the support of the Tausug community who reported the presence of the armed terrorists and volunteered to serve as guides during the conduct of combat operations” Nafarrete said.

Major General Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of the JTF Sulu, lauded the operating unit, who carried out the combat operations to neutralize Abu Talha.

“I am reiterating my appeal to them to surrender and live a normal life instead of being hunt down as fleeing criminals and disgrace to the peace-loving Tausug community. One by one, we will hunt you down”, said Vinluan. Robina Asido/DMS