2 militants killed in Lanao del Sur clash

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Two Dawlah Islamiya members were killed while four soldiers were wounded in an encounter in Balabagan, Lanao del Sur on Wednesday.

Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr., Western Mindanao Command chief, said the clash occurred when personnel of the First Marine Brigade discovered the hideout of the militant group led by Polo Alim, who was among those tagged in the siege of Marawi in 2017, in Barangay Lumbay.

Rosario said government troopers found the cadaver of one of the militants in the hideout. The militants took the other fatality with them as they fled.

An M16 rifle with a grenade launcher, cell phones, a hand grenade, 13 rounds of 40mm grenade, a .22-caliber rifle, two bandoleers, eight long magazines with ammunition for an M16 rifle, a radio base transceiver, a machete and drug paraphernalia were also recovered at the scene.

The wounded soldiers are in stable condition at the Camp Siongco Station Hospital in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.