Country Report on Terrorism 2024 - Chapter 4 - Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)

Abu Sayyaf Group

Aka:  al Harakat al Islamiyya (the Islamic Movement).

Description:  ASG was designated as an FTO on October 8, 1997.  The ASG split from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the early 1990s and was one of the most violent terrorist groups in the Philippines.  The group claimed to promote an independent Islamic state in western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.  In 2014, an ASG faction pledged allegiance to ISIS and later formed ISIS’s Philippines branch in 2016.  ASG had suffered significant losses and lacked a leader and a clear structure.

Activities:  On April 24, 2024, Abu Sayyaf militants engaged in a brief shootout with police officers in Hadji Mohammad Ajul, Basilan, which resulted in the death of at least one militant.

Strength:  ASG’s remnants were assessed to number fewer than 100 fighters

Location/Area of Operation:  The Philippines.

Funding and External Aid:  The remnants of the ASG were funded primarily through criminal activity, corrupt politicians, familial and tribal support, and extortion.  In the past, the ASG also had received training and other assistance from regional terrorist groups such as the now disbanded Jemaah Islamiya.

Associated documents