Security forces kill 4 ISIS supporters in South Cotabato

From the Mindanao Examiner (Jan 22, 2021): Security forces kill 4 ISIS supporters in South Cotabato

Police commandos killed four Filipino pro-ISIS militants in a clash in the restive southern region of Mindanao.

Commandos were sent to arrest the militants after tracking down their hideout Thursday in Basag village in South Cotabato’s T’boli town. The militants, who were members of the Dawlah Islamiya, opened fire on commandos, sparking a short, but fierce fighting that eventually killed all gunmen.

This was confirmed by Maj. Gen. Bernabe Balba, who heads the Special Action Force, in his report to National Police Chief Debold Sinas who said the fighting only lasted 5 minutes and no commandos were killed or injured in the clash.

He said the commandos were with members of the municipal police force serving the arrest warrants against the gunmen who were facing a string of criminal cases.

The slain militants were identified as Moen Macabangin, Saadin Macabangin, Narjaid Macabangin and Baharan Macabangin who were key suspects in the murder of two policemen in South Cotabato’s Polomolok town and the 2018 bombing in General Santos City.

Police forces recovered a Carbine rifle, two .45-caliber pistols, a fragmentation grenade, ammunition and a cell phone among other personal belongings, including dried marijuana leaves from the slain gunmen.

But a separate report by the 6th Infantry Division said the Special Forces soldiers were also involved in the “joint” operation and that fighting lasted not 5 minutes, but 20 minutes. Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy said the militants were also rushed to the hospital, but doctors declared all of them dead.

The Dawlah Islamiya is among the militant groups in the South fighting for the establishment of a caliphate in Mindanao. (With additional report from Rhoderick Beñez.)

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