Dawlah terrorist killed, 2 arrested in Maguindanao del Sur encounter

COTABATO CITY— A remnant of the now-defunct Dawlah Islamiya terror group was killed, while two others were cornered and detained by soldiers in separate encounters in two areas in the upland town of Datu Hoffer in Maguindanao del Sur on Saturday, May 30.

Local executives and traditional Moro datus told reporters on Monday that Dawlah Islamiya fatality, Andamil Mursid Kalon, died instantly from gunshot wounds sustained during an encounter with soldiers on Saturday.

Lt. Col. Ronald Suscano, spokesperson of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said on Monday that the brief gunfights in the adjoining barangays of Tuayan 1 and Tuayan Mother in Datu Hoffer erupted when Dawlah Islamiya members opened fire at soldiers dispatched to the areas after villagers reported seeing armed men roaming around.

Datu Hoffer is one the 24 towns in Maguindanao del Sur province in the Bangsamoro region, where only a few remaining Dawlah Islamiya members have yet to surrender to the 6th ID, which implements a reconciliation program for former violent exrtemist groups.

Soldiers recovered an M14 assault rifle beside Kalon's body, according to Suscano and the Moro community leaders in Barangays Tuayan 1 and Tuayan Mother.

Pursuing soldiers cornered, after a brief chase, two Dawlah Islamiya terrorists who tried to escape after running out of ammunition.

The two men are now in the joint custody of local executives and officials of 6th ID in Datu Hoffer and nearby towns in Maguindanao del Sur.