BACKED by bomber planes, government troops assaulted a camp of the Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group in Lanao del Sur early morning yesterday, leaving two terrorists and a soldier dead and three other soldiers injured.
Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr, commander of the AFP’s Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), described the assault as a “major operation” by the 103rd Brigade under Brig. Gen. Jose Maria Cuerpo.
Rosario said government troops were pursuing members of the terrorist group who fled after the airstrike, which the Air Force said was conducted by its FA-50 lead-in fighters and A-29 Super Tucano bomber planes.
“We’ve been monitoring this Maute Group. The operation is very deliberate. We made sure no civilians will be affected,” said Rosario.
Wesmincom spokesman Maj. Andrew Linao said government troops recovered at the terrorist camp two bodies of Maute members. Linao said a soldier also died and three other government troopers were injured.
Two firearms were also recovered by the soldiers, according to Capt. Mary Jepte Mañebog, spokeswoman of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division.
Linao said ground troops assaulted the Maute camp in Barangay Ilalag at around 2 a.m., triggering a firefight with about 50 terrorists under Maute leader Abu Zacharia.
