COTABATO CITY — Members of the Dawlah Islamiya attacked on Saturday afternoon a roadside Army detachment in Shariff Saydona Mustapha town in Maguindanao del Sur, killing a soldier and causing panic among villagers.
The soldier died on the spot from multiple bullet wounds, local police said. His companions and he were inside their fenced roadside detachment in the village of Pagatin 1 in Shariff Saydona Mustapha when about 20 Dawlah Islamiya members armed with M14 and M16 assault rifles approached from two directions and opened fire, sparking a gunfight.
Local officials and village leaders told reporters the group that perpetrated the attack was led by Ben Harris Salamat, known among the Dawlah Islamiya and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters as Nakan. He is wanted for multiple murder, extortion, armed robbery and coddling of drug traffickers.
Mr. Salamat and his men escaped after government troops returned fire, wounding at least three of them, according to authorities and villagers. — John Felix M. Unson
