MANILA, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will create an infantry division that mainly hunt down the elusive Abu Sayyaf militants in the southern Philippine Sulu province, the Philippine defense chief said on Tuesday.
Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana stressed the need to create another division so that the military will have a permanent presence in Sulu, expressing hope that the deployment of a new division will eliminate the decades-long threat of the radical Islamist extremist Abu Sayyaf Group.
Lorenzana said the new 11th Infantry Division (11th ID) would have operational control over the three brigades currently operating in the remote Sulu province, a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf Group of up to 400 fighters.
"A brigade is composed of three battalions. So that's nine battalions under 11th ID, plus an armor contingent and an artillery contingent, plus the air assets that will support the troops there," Lorenzana told a local television interview.
"The endgame is to eradicate once and for all the Abu Sayyaf there," Lorenzana added.
A Philippine infantry division normally consists of 5,000 to 6,000 officers and enlisted personnel.
Philippine Army spokesperson Col. Louie Villanueva said the 11th ID would only cover Sulu province.
"It's just to strengthen the command and control of the forces in the area... It's meant to reinforce the command and control in the area," he said.
The announcement came as the military prepares to recommend the extension of martial law in Mindanao for another one year or until Dec. 31, 2019. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is likely to approve the extension.
Martial law was extended until Dec. 31 this year, but the military and police have recommended its extension for another year, owing to the threat posed by the Abu Sauyaf and other armed groups in the region.
Philippine security forces have been trying to crush the Abu Sayyaf militants since early 2000.
Abu Sayyaf is the small but the most radical Islamist group in the Philippines, and often carry out kidnappings, bombings and beheadings in western Mindanao, particularly in their lair in the island provinces of Basilan and Sulu.
