EXTREMIST group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s (ISIS) alleged spokesperson for east Asia has been killed by security forces in southern Philippines, the military reported on Tuesday.
The fatality was identified as Abdulfatah Omar Alimuden, who also went by the name Abu Huzaifah, according to a statement from the Western Mindanao Command.
Huzaifah was also known to be in charge of financial transactions between the ISIS and local terrorist group Daulah Islamiyah, WestMinCom said.
The ISIS leader was killed in the town of Datu Saudi Ampatuan in Maguindanao on Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, five members of the Abu Sayyaf, a kidnap-for-ranson group that has also pledged allegiance to ISIS, surrendered to the military in Sulu on Sunday, WestMinCom said in a separate statement on Tuesday.
This brings to 44 the total number of the Abu Sayyaf members who have left the group since the start of the year, it said.