Government troops in the southern Philippines have killed nine members of a pro-Islamic State group, including two suspects in a deadly blast at a Catholic Mass last month, according to the military on Saturday. The operation, which took place in the Lanao del Sur province on Thursday and Friday, resulted in four soldiers being wounded, but they are all in stable condition, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) stated.
The AFP reported that the nine individuals killed were members of Daulah Islamiyah, a pro-Islamic State militant group that took control of the southern Marawi city in 2017. The group held the city through five months of ground offensives and air strikes by the military. The two suspected individuals in the Dec. 3 bombing in a university gymnasium in Marawi, which killed at least four people and injured 50 others, were also among those killed.
Military chief Romeo Brawner praised the operation, stating, “The precision and unwavering dedication exhibited in this operation … delivered swift and decisive justice for the victims of the despicable attack.” He also added, “This operation sets a clear precedent: the AFP will not tolerate those who endanger the lives and well-being of our people.”