Philippine security forces kill 5 suspected militants in clash

MANILA, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) — Philippine security forces killed five alleged supporters of the militant group Dawlah Islamiya (DI) during a clash in Lanao del Norte province in the southern Philippines on Wednesday morning, the military said.
Lieutenant General William Gonzales of the military’s Western Mindanao Command said a 30-minute clash broke out after seven suspects opened fire at a team of soldiers and policemen serving an arrest warrant for one of the suspects in Sultan Naga Dimaporo town.
No one was wounded or killed on the government side.
The government team recovered eight firearms, bandoliers, and several rounds of ammunition, the military added.
The DI is behind several atrocities in Mindanao, including the bombing at Mindanao State University in Marawi city in Lanao del Sur province in December 2023, which left four people dead and 50 others injured. ■