Philippines: Abu Sayyaf chief likely plotted suicide attacks

The military says 22 other soldiers and civilians were wounded. (File/AFP)

• An official said Hajjan Sawadjaan most likely harbored the two suicide bombers and plotted Friday’s attack
• The Daesh group said in a statement two of its fighters carried the attack with explosive belts

JOLO, Philippines: A Philippine official says an Abu Sayyaf commander aligned with the Daesh group most likely plotted the suicide attacks on an army camp in the volatile south by two militants, whose identities remain unknown.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano cited intelligence Saturday as showing Hajjan Sawadjaan most likely harbored the two suicide bombers and plotted Friday’s attack in an army camp that killed three soldiers, two civilians and themselves. The military says 22 other soldiers and civilians were wounded.
Sawadjaan is based in the jungles of southern Sulu province.
The Daesh group said in a statement two of its fighters carried the attack with explosive belts but overstated the military casualties at about 100.
Ano said it remains unclear if the non-Arabic male attackers were Filipinos or foreigners.