MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A senior Philippine military official tells The Associated Press that troops are still searching for the remains of one of three of Southeast Asia’s most-wanted terrorist leaders a day after announcing they were killed in a U.S.-backed airstrike.
Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang said Friday that the military assessment was based on information provided by informants.
Thursday’s dawn strike targeted a militant camp on a remote southern Jolo Island and a military spokesman in Manila initially reported that Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, was positively identified as among at least 15 killed.
However, Cabangbang said that troops on the ground are still combing the jungle camp that was hit and so far have not recovered Marwan’s body.
