Local ISIS fighters ambush troops

Posted to the Mindanao Examiner (Jan 6, 2023): Local ISIS fighters ambush troops

COTABATO CITY - Suspected Filipino Muslim militants ambushed a group of soldiers Saturday in the southern Philippines, leaving one dead and three others wounded, officials said Monday.

The attack came days after United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III visited a military base in Mindanao where he assured America will help the Philippines on its anti-terror crackdown in the south.

Soldiers belonging to 2nd Marine Battalion Landing Team were on a community service in the village of Cabasaran in the town of Marogong in Lanao del Sur shortly around 3:00 p.m. when they were attacked by an undetermined number of Daulah Islamiyah.

"Daulah Islamiyah" means "Islamic State" in the local language. Its membership comprises fighters from several Filipino militant factions, including the Maute Group, which had provided men and logistics during a five-month siege of Marawi by pro-IS fighters in 2017.

“There’s an ongoing pursuit operation against the perpetrators,” town police chief Lt. Joseph Chicano told a local radio station.

Killed in the ambush was Sgt. Tonti Melbert Pamaran while those wounded rushed to the local hospital Sgt.Aninon, Sgt. Jeram Aradji and Cpl Mark Anthony Banares, all members of Philippine Marines.

Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said that based on their information the mastermind behind the incident was Faharudin Hadji Satar, one of the leaders of Daulah Islamiyah.

“They wanted to show that they still have capability,” he said.

The latest attack happened days after Austin met senior Filipino military officials in the country to convey America’s support for the Philippines.

In 2017, a small team of U.S. troops assisted Philippine forces in defeating pro-Islamic State (IS) militants who had seized the city of Marawi, a predominantly Muslim city in the southern Philippines.

While the American troops were restricted from combat operations, they helped their Filipino counterparts gather intelligence that led to victory in the five-month battle where at least 1,200 militants, government forces and civilians were killed.

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