ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) – A leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) was killed in a clash with police in the hinterlands of Basilan province, police said on Wednesday, June 14.
Police Col. Carlos Madronio, Basilan police director, said Nurudin Muddalan was slain in a gunfight around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, June 13, in Sitio Kalang, Barangay Amaloy, Ungkaya Pukan.
The clash broke out after Muddalan opened fire on approaching policemen who were about to serve an arrest warrant against him.
“The policemen returned fire, fatally hitting Muddalan,” Madronio said in a report.
Recovered from Muddalan were an M16 rifle, three long magazines loaded with live ammunition, and a bandolier.
Muddalan was a follower of Basilan-based ASG leader Furuji Indama, who was killed in a clash with government troops in September 2020.
Since then, Muddalan served as the leader of the remaining ASG members in Basilan.
The slain ASG leader was involved in the ambush of soldiers on June 25, 2022 in Sitio Tampat, Barangay Kaili, Al-Barka, Basilan.
In 2007, Muddalan also participated in the ambush that resulted in the death of 15 soldiers and wounding of 13 others in the boundary of Barangays Kaili and Baguindan, in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.
A year later, he was involved in the attack on a Philippine Marine camp in Barangay Tipo-Tipo Proper, Tipo-Tipo.