Terrorism In The Philippines: Abu Sayyaf Leader Killed In Gun Fight With Philippine Troops

Philippine troops killed a leader of the Jihadist terrorist group Abu Sayyaf on Tuesday on the resort island Bohol, military officials told Reuters Wednesday.

The troops suffered a total of four injuries, while at least six members of the terrorist group were killed during the attack. The gun fight came after British, U.S., Canadian and Australian embassies advised travelers not to go to Central Visayas, which included Philippine provinces Cebu and Bohol.

Read: What Is Abu Sayyaf? ISIS Video Shows Beheading Of German Hostage Jurgen Kantner

The body of one of the group's former spokesmen Muamar Askali 'Abu Rami,' was recovered Wednesday by the Philippine military. Armed Forces chief of Staff General Eduardo Ano told Reuters Rami was "a very notorious Abu Sayyaf leader," who committed a multitude of terrorist attacks. In a hindered attempt to kidnap tourists during Holy Week in the Philippines, Ano said Rami wanted his name recognized.

Abu Sayyaf, known for its violent executions, kidnappings for ransom and piracy, beheaded Canadian citizens John Ridsdel and Robert Hall while visiting a southern Philippines resort last year. The men were held hostage and the group requested ransoms be met for their release. Footage was released in April 2016 of Risdel's gruesome execution, and a few months later footage of Hall's death was released on the jihadi monitoring group SITE. A year prior to the Canadians' death, an elderly German man was also beheaded, when a $600,000 ransom was not paid for his release.

The group has invested in fast boats and modern weapons, so Philippine military has had much difficulty in the past to detect the group's whereabouts—and the government has requested international aid to guard the Sulu Sea.

Since the firefight in Bohol, Ano said the island was "back to normal."