2 soldiers killed in Dawlah Islamiya ambush

PAGADIAN CITY – Muslim extremists allied with the Islamic State killed two Filipino soldiers in an ambush in the southern province of Lanao del Sur, a top army official said on Thursday. 

Maj. Gen. Gabriel Viray III, commander of the 1st Infantry Division, said the soldiers, members of the 51st Infantry Battalion, were travelling on a motorcycle in Liningding village in Piagapo town on Wednesday when at least six gunmen ambushed them.

Viray blamed the deadly attack on the Dawlah Islamiya, whose leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

“The ambush was carried out by around six members of the Dawlah Islamiya-Maute Group, believed to be a hit squad of the notorious Khatab Group,” he said, adding both infantrymen were shot in the head multiple times.

Viray condemned the killings and ordered a massive hunt for the ambushers. “The 1st Infantry Division strongly condemns this cowardly act of violence and expresses its deepest condolences to the families of our fallen soldiers. We remain resolute in our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our troops and the local communities we serve,” he said.

He said one soldier managed to evade the attack and reported it to his superior. The attackers also carted the slain soldiers’ pistols and personal belongings, according to Viray.

The bodies of the soldiers were also recovered by troops who were sent to run after the gunmen. “The cadavers were successfully extricated and brought to RD Gamalinda Funeral Homes in Kauswagan town in Lanao del Norte province,” he said. 

No individual or group claimed responsibility for the ambush but the Islamic State - as in previous attacks - is expected to issue a statement and own up the killings. 

Lanao del Sur is part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, a stronghold of the Dawlah Islamiya fighting for the establishment of a caliphate in the South. 

Last month, the Dawlah Islamiya bombed a Catholic mass inside the Mindanao State University stadium in Lanao del Sur’s Marawi City that killed at least four people and injured dozens more. 

The bombing, carried out by a pair of attackers, occurred only six years after Muslim extremist groups Abu Sayyaf, Dawlah Islamiya, Maute, including foreign ISIS fighters, occupied Marawi and battled security forces for five months from May 23 to October 23. (Mindanao Examiner)