ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Four members of Dawlah Islamiyah, including a son of the terror group’s sub-leader, were killed in an encounter at dawn yesterday in Barira town, Maguindanao del Norte.
Lt. Col. John dela Cruz, Marine Battalion Landing Team-2 (MBLT2) commanding officer, said in a report to the Western Mindanao Command that his troops, along with other military units, clashed with the group led by Emarudin Kasan Kulaw at Sitio Palao in Barangay Barira.
Dela Cruz said soldiers engaged the terror group after residents complained of the presence of the armed men.
He identified those killed as Mustapha Kasan Kulaw, an alias Abdullah and an alias Pudin, son of Emarudin. The fourth fatality has yet to be identified.
The Marines recovered two M16 rifles, a grenade launcher, two .45-caliber pistols and several magazines and bullets, among others.
Brig. Gen. Romulo Quemado II, commander of the 1st Marine Brigade, said Emarudin is listed under the joint order of battle of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police.
Meanwhile, in Maguidanao del Sur, four soldiers were injured in a grenade explosion at a military detachment in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town over the weekend.
Lt. Col. Roden Orbon, 6th Infantry Division spokesman, said an unidentified man lobbed the grenade at 7:30 p.m. at the detachment in Barangay Media.
Orbon said no group has claimed responsibility for the attack as he dismissed speculations that it staged.
“It has nothing to do with any issue. It was purely criminal in nature perpetrated by lawless elements in the area,” said Col. Abdelhalim Sakilan, spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command.