5 killed, 3 wounded in Army-Dawlah Islamiya clash

By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.

ZAMBOANGA CITY

– Five combatants were killed, including four Dawlah Islamiya (DI) militants, while three others were wounded in a clash in the hinterlands of Lanao del Sur, the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) confirmed Friday.

Maj. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, the Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander, said the firefight around 8:58 p.m. Wednesday lasted for about five minutes in Barangay Piangologan, Marogong town and resulted in the death of four DI militants and a government soldier.

The clash broke out when the troops of the Army’s 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion chanced upon a group of DI-militants led by Abu Zacariah while conducting a combat operation.

Three other soldiers were wounded as troops rescued three civilians, a female and two young males, who were caught in the crossfire. Nafarrete withheld the identities of the slain and wounded soldiers pending notification to their families.

“The wounded soldiers are now in stable condition and recuperating in the hospital,” said Nafarrete, concurrent commander of the Joint Task Force ZamPeLan (Zamboanga Peninsula and