CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Two members of the Islamic State (ISIS)-linked Maute Group and two soldiers were killed in an encounter in Pagawayan, Lanao del Sur, on Monday, March 11.
Troops from the 55th Infantry Battalion clashed with over 20 members of the ISIS-Maute group Dawlah Islamiyah Ranao under the command of Owayda Benito Marohomsar alias Abu Dar, said Colonel Romeo Brawner, 103rd Infantry Brigade Commander.
The Dawlah Islamiyah Ranao is a remnant of the Maute-Abu Sayaff Group that led the siege of Marawi City in May 2017.
“We received information from the local populace on the presence of DI-Lanao group in the area and we responded to their call,” said Brawner. “We are sustaining our focused military operation in order to destroy the remnants of this group and make the province free from terrorist,” he added.
The slain terrorists were identified only through their aliases – Abu Tahir and Abu Jihad.
The names of the fallen soldiers were not released as their families had yet to be informed about the incident. One soldier was also wounded in the clash.
Additional troops had been deployed to the area to pursue the fleeing terrorists, the military said. – Rappler.com