MARAWI CITY – Security forces clashed before dawn Tuesday with jihadists in Lanao del Sur’s Butig town that injured a police commando, officials said.
Officials said police and military searched houses of jihadist leader Abdullah Maute and his brother Omar, and their relatives in the town and recovered several war and explosive materials.
“Joint law enforcement operations launched early today by the military and police against Farhana Maute, mother of the Maute brothers, led to the recovery of a firearm and several war and explosive materials in Butig,” said army Major Filemon Tan, a spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command.
But other reports said the commando, member of the Special Action Force, was injured in a blast after tripping on an explosive in one of the houses they searched.
Tan also said that an army soldier was also killed in a firefight with the Maute group in Butig on Monday. Troops continue to pursue the jihadist group blamed by the military for deadly attacks in Lanao del Sur, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.
“The military continues to intensify the conduct of focused military operations to neutralize members of the local terrorist group,” he said.
President Duterte said he wanted to talk peace with the Maute group and also the Abu Sayyaf in an effort to stop the violence in the restive region. Both groups have pledged allegiance this year with the Islamic State. (Moh Saaduddin)
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