Local IS leader eludes arrest in Lanao del Sur

PARANG, Maguindanao del Norte — Military forces in Lanao del Sur briefly clashed Tuesday with Moro extremists in Lanao del Sur and recovered a machine gun, the military said today.

But the object of the military operation, the top leader of Islamic State-linked local terrorists, eluded arrest while fighting was raging.

Soldiers of the Army’s 51st Infantry Battalion missed Dawlah Islamiya-Lanao leader Abu Zacariah, who is believed to be the highest-ranking leader of IS-linked Moro extremists in Mindanao.

Soldiers were checking on intelligence reports that Zacariah, also the alleged emir of IS in the Philippines, was on board a white Mitsubishi Adventure vehicle.

The operating units, responding to intelligence reports, sighted the vehicle in Barangay Gadongan of Pualas town in Lanao del Sur.

As the soldiers were checking who was inside the vehicle, about 10 armed men opened fire, triggering a brief firefight. Outnumbered, the extremists escaped and mingled with residents.

“No one was hurt on the government side while the casualties on the enemy side are being determined,” said an Army report.

Soldiers recovered from the clash site an M-60 7.62mm machine gun with 140 rounds of ammunition.

In a statement, Major General Antonio Nafarrete, Commander of Joint Task Force Zampelan, said the troops were still in pursuit of the fleeing terrorists.

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