PAGADIAN CITY – Six soldiers were killed and four more wounded in fierce clashes with members of the Dawlah Islamiya of ISIS-Philippines in the restive southern region of Mindanao, the Philippine Army’s 1st Infantry Division reported Monday.
It said the weekend fighting in Lanao del Norte’s Munai town, which also killed at least 3 gunmen, involved the 3rd and 7th Scout Ranger Companies, and the 44th Infantry Battalion which mounted a series of assault against the extremist group, blamed by authorities for the spate of terror attacks in the South.
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Photos released by the 1st infantry Division show troops following the killing of 9 members of the Dawlah Islamiya in a clash in Piagapo town in Lanao del Sur province on January 25-26. Three of the slain terrorists were linked to the December bombing of a Catholic mass inside the Mindanao State University in Marawi City. |
Troops were fighting several groups of gunmen in near zero visibility due to the thick fog and wet terrain in the village of Ramain for over two hours.
The military casualties all belonged to the 44th Infantry Battalion. Troops on Monday continue their hunt for the terrorist group, whose leaders pledged allegiance with ISIS and vowed to fight for the establishment of a caliphate in Mindanao, whose 26 million population is largely Catholic with about 5 million Muslims.
Army Maj. Gen. Gabriel Viray III, the division commander, condoled with the families of the slain soldiers and at the same time commended the bravery of the troops. “Their courage in the face of danger and their commitment to protecting our communities are truly commendable despite the challenges such as poor visibility due to the thick fog, progress continues as troops remain mobile and pursuit operations are ongoing,” he said.
No other details were made available by Viray on the progress of the military operations. (Mindanao Examiner)
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