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ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews / 4 January)—Two soldiers from the Army’s 51st Infantry Battalion were killed in an ambush in Lanao del Sur on Wednesday by suspected members of the Dawlah Islamiya-Maute Group, the military said.
A press statement from the Deputy Public Affairs Office (DPAO) of the 1st Infantry “Tabak” Division said three enlisted personnel were attacked while traversing the road from Brgy. Lininding, Piagapo, Lanao del Sur towards Munai, Lanao del Norte around 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
The Army said the two killed soldiers sustained “multiple fatal gunshots to the head.”
One of them managed to evade and promptly reported the incident to the executive officer of 51IB’s Alpha Company, 1Lt. John Mark D. Tayaban.
The Army said the ambush “was carried out by six members of the Dawlah Islamiya-Maute Group (DI-MG), believed to be a hit squad of the notorious @KHATAB group.”
The press statement said the soldiers lost a Glock 17 handgun and a caliber .45 pistol complete with ammunition, two Android phones, and two wallets with cash and identification cards.
51IB troops retrieved the two cadavers, then brought to the RD Gamalinda Funeral Homes in Kauswagan town.
Maj. Mark Joseph L. Jaque, officer-in-charge of 51IB, informed the families of the fallen troops, and provided aid and support when they visited the funeral parlor. (Marivic Omandam Davis / MindaNews)
