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COTABATO CITY, BARMM, Philippines — Military and police authorities in Central Mindanao scored a major victory against resurgent terrorist groups in the region after a key leader of an Islamic State-linked faction was killed in a law enforcement operation on Thursday.
Lt. Col. Erwin Jay Dumaghan, commanding officer of the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion, said Marhom Esmael, also known as “Marhom,” deputy leader of the Dawlah Islamiyah-Hassan Group, was among five men killed when they clashed with police officers and soldiers in Barangay Inug-ug, Pikit, Cotabato province.
The four other fatalities were identified as Ameer Hassan, Asnawi Sansawi Usman, Ali Hassan and Rasul Tito.
READ: 1 dead, 2 wounded in Cotabato clash
