Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MANILA4861
2006-11-30 09:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manila
Cable title:
NOVEMBER 30 UPDATE ON JOLO OPERATIONS
how-toVZCZCXRO4820 OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHML #4861 3340906 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 300906Z NOV 06 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY MANILA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4128 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 9486 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 2986 RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHHMUNS/COMSOCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 004861
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP, PM, S/CT, AND EAP/MTS
USPACOM ALSO FOR FPA HUSO AND J5
SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP (TOOLAN/BAILEY)
JOINT STAFF/J5 (WILKES/ROBINSON/CLEMMONS)
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (CLASSIFICATION CORRECTION PARA 2)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2016
TAGS: PTER MARR MASS MOPS MCAP PREL RP
SUBJECT: NOVEMBER 30 UPDATE ON JOLO OPERATIONS
REF: MANILA 4508 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: (U) Pol/C Scott Bellard
for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 004861
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP, PM, S/CT, AND EAP/MTS
USPACOM ALSO FOR FPA HUSO AND J5
SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP (TOOLAN/BAILEY)
JOINT STAFF/J5 (WILKES/ROBINSON/CLEMMONS)
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (CLASSIFICATION CORRECTION PARA 2)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2016
TAGS: PTER MARR MASS MOPS MCAP PREL RP
SUBJECT: NOVEMBER 30 UPDATE ON JOLO OPERATIONS
REF: MANILA 4508 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: (U) Pol/C Scott Bellard
for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C/REL AUS) The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is
now ending its 18th week of operations against the Abu Sayyaf
and Jemaah Islamiyah leadership on the southern Mindanao
island of Jolo. It has suffered 22 killed and 103 wounded
since the August 1 onset of "Operation Ultimatum," and shows
no sign of letting up. AFP Chief of Staff General Esperon
has told his troops that if they want to come home for
Christmas, they have to get the high value targets, who the
AFP continues to believe are on the eastern half of Jolo.
2. (C/REL AUS) According to AFP sources, Sheng Janjalani,
Khadaffy Janjalani's wife, arrived on Jolo November 28 from
Basilan in an effort to learn more about her husband's fate.
The AFP hopes by following Sheng to confirm or deny
persistent rumors suggesting that the ASG leader was wounded
or killed in a mid-September encounter with government
troops.
3. (C/REL AUS) Lieutenant General Cedo established a new
command on Jolo, the Joint Special Operations Force (JSOF),
effective November 25, that brings Light Reaction Company,
Scout Ranger, Special Operations, and Naval Special Warfare
units under a unified commander, Brigadier General Pabustan.
Cedo's objective is to use Army and Marine troops as fixing
and blocking forces and the JSOF as the assault and finishing
element.
4. (C/REL AUS) Following this reorganization, the AFP kicked
off an operation in southeastern Jolo in the region of
Talipao using the Philippine Army's 33rd and 35th Infantry
Battalions as blocking forces, and the 4th and 6th Special
Forces Companies to clear the area in which the AFP believes
Dulmatin and Abu Sulaiman are hiding. The AFP is planning a
more ambitious operation, Operational Directive 18, which is
based a predictive analysis of past ASG/JI actions and
thorough intelligence preparation of the battlefield. This
type of intelligence-driven planning demonstrates growing
sophistication (with U.S. help) in AFP operations.
5. (C/REL AUS) The Philippine Navy maritime cordon around
Jolo continues to operate, backed up by U.S. intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance support, and has so far
conducted 3,886 maritime interdictions.
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm
KENNEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP, PM, S/CT, AND EAP/MTS
USPACOM ALSO FOR FPA HUSO AND J5
SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP (TOOLAN/BAILEY)
JOINT STAFF/J5 (WILKES/ROBINSON/CLEMMONS)
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (CLASSIFICATION CORRECTION PARA 2)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2016
TAGS: PTER MARR MASS MOPS MCAP PREL RP
SUBJECT: NOVEMBER 30 UPDATE ON JOLO OPERATIONS
REF: MANILA 4508 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: (U) Pol/C Scott Bellard
for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C/REL AUS) The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is
now ending its 18th week of operations against the Abu Sayyaf
and Jemaah Islamiyah leadership on the southern Mindanao
island of Jolo. It has suffered 22 killed and 103 wounded
since the August 1 onset of "Operation Ultimatum," and shows
no sign of letting up. AFP Chief of Staff General Esperon
has told his troops that if they want to come home for
Christmas, they have to get the high value targets, who the
AFP continues to believe are on the eastern half of Jolo.
2. (C/REL AUS) According to AFP sources, Sheng Janjalani,
Khadaffy Janjalani's wife, arrived on Jolo November 28 from
Basilan in an effort to learn more about her husband's fate.
The AFP hopes by following Sheng to confirm or deny
persistent rumors suggesting that the ASG leader was wounded
or killed in a mid-September encounter with government
troops.
3. (C/REL AUS) Lieutenant General Cedo established a new
command on Jolo, the Joint Special Operations Force (JSOF),
effective November 25, that brings Light Reaction Company,
Scout Ranger, Special Operations, and Naval Special Warfare
units under a unified commander, Brigadier General Pabustan.
Cedo's objective is to use Army and Marine troops as fixing
and blocking forces and the JSOF as the assault and finishing
element.
4. (C/REL AUS) Following this reorganization, the AFP kicked
off an operation in southeastern Jolo in the region of
Talipao using the Philippine Army's 33rd and 35th Infantry
Battalions as blocking forces, and the 4th and 6th Special
Forces Companies to clear the area in which the AFP believes
Dulmatin and Abu Sulaiman are hiding. The AFP is planning a
more ambitious operation, Operational Directive 18, which is
based a predictive analysis of past ASG/JI actions and
thorough intelligence preparation of the battlefield. This
type of intelligence-driven planning demonstrates growing
sophistication (with U.S. help) in AFP operations.
5. (C/REL AUS) The Philippine Navy maritime cordon around
Jolo continues to operate, backed up by U.S. intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance support, and has so far
conducted 3,886 maritime interdictions.
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm
KENNEY