6 soldiers injured in encounter vs Maute in Lanao del Sur

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Government troops encountered remnants of ISIS-inspired Maute members that left six soldiers injured Saturday in a village of Masiu town, Lanao del Sur, according to the military.

 

The troops from Joint Task Force Ranao encountered 10 Maute members at early Saturday morning at Barangay Kalilangan, said Maj. Ronald Suscano, officer-in-charge of the Public Affairs Office of the Army 1st Division, based in Pulacan, Labanga town Zamboanga del Sur.

 

Suscano said the group which the soldiers encountered were Maute remnants and bombers.

 

He said the firefight erupted for 35 minutes that prompted the terrorists to withdraw. 

 

Suscano reported that while the terrorists attempted to escape via the lake, the troops were able to sink off two motorboats carrying 10 militants. 

 

The military said six soldiers were slightly injured from the shrapnel during the firefight. 

 

The soldiers also recovered several high-powered weapons including one M203 launcher; two RPGs; three rounds of 60mm RPG; an anti-tank RPG ammunition; three 40mm ammunition; a hand grenade; two RPG fuses; a binocular; an ISIS flag; and several drug paraphernalia.

 

Suscano said the encounter was the first since the liberation of Marawi City from the Maute group last October 2017.

 

Maj. Gen. Roseller Murillo, 1st Army Division chief, directed the troops to continue the relentless hunt against the terrorists to prevent them from gaining strength. 

 

“We shall continue to totally eliminate the remaining Daesh-inspired group in Lanao provinces and to sustain our efforts to prevent them establishing ‘Wilayat’ and Daesh ideology in our joint area of operation,” Murillo said in a statement.