CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 19 February) – Six Philippine Army members were killed while four others were wounded on Sunday while pursuing the militant Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute Group blamed for the December 3 Catholic Mass bombing inside the Mindanao State University in Marawi City (MSU-Marawi), military officials said.
In a statement, General Romeo Brawner Jr.
, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said the soldiers were hunting the militants behind the Catholic Mass bombing, which left four persons dead and 72 others wounded, when the encounter happened.
He said the soldiers hunting the militants have neutralized 18 suspects so far, including alleged MSU-Marawi bombing mastermind Khadafi Mimbesa alias “engineer,” who was killed by the military along with eight others last month.
“However, six of our soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice while four others were wounded,” Brawner said, condoling with the families of the dead.
He said the Army troops hunting the militants are motivated to finish their mission.
Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, AFP spokesperson, said the military operations against the militants are still ongoing in the mountains between the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur as of Monday noon.
Trinidad said the Philippine Army suffered the setback during a clash in Barangay Ramain, Munai town in Lanao del Norte.
He said two militants were killed during the encounter, their rifles recovered.
Lt. Colonel Palawan Miondas, Philippine Army’s 103rd Brigade spokesperson, said that a 15-man team from the Army’s 44th Infantry Battalion encountered at least a dozen militants they were pursuing in Barangay Ramain.
Miondas said the firefight is still ongoing noontime Monday as nearby Army units were ordered to reinforce the soldiers.
The official said the four wounded soldiers were brought to Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro for treatment.
(Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
