COTABATO CITY — Soldiers shot and killed a member of the Dawlah Islamiya (DI) terror group and wounded three others in an encounter over the weekend in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao del Sur.

Army Brig. Gen. Oriel L. Pangcog, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade, and Col. Roel R. Sermese, Maguindanao del Sur police director, separately confirmed to reporters on Monday that the DI member killed in a clash by patrolling troops from the 40th Infantry Battalion is a long wanted terrorist.

Mr. Pangcog said the shooting started from the group of terrorists, who had opened fire at soldiers deployed in the area to check on villager complaints that armed men were in the area.

Muslim clerics opposed to the activities of the Dawlah Islamiya (DI) informed authorities that two other members of the terrorist group were wounded in the clash.

Mr. Pangcog said that when soldiers found the body of the slain terrorist, he was in possession of an M79 grenade launcher, an M-14 assault rifle, and an improvised .45-caliber machine pistol. — John Felix M. Unson

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