NORTH COTABATO – Four suspected members of the Dawlah Islamiyah terror group responsible for the recent bomb attack on a passenger bus in Aleosan town were killed in an encounter with security forces in an outskirt village in Carmen town on Saturday.
Major Gen Juvymax Uy, 6th Infantry Division commander, said troops from the 602nd Infantry Brigade led by Col. Jovencio Gonzales conducted pursuit operations against the suspects who were tagged responsible in the bombing of a passenger bus owned by Mindanao Star in Barangay Upper Carmen, Aleosan last January 11 which killed a five-year old boy and wounded six other passengers.
Uy said the one of the slain suspects identified as Norodin Hassan was believed to be the mastermind in the bus bombing which was orchestrated by the terror group after the bus company refused to give in to the extortion made by lawless armed group.
Troops recovered several high-powered firearms including M-14 and M1 Garand rifles from the suspects.
Gonzales said two of the other slain suspects were identified as Abdonilah Hassan and Abdonhack Hassan who were said to be members of a local terror cell led by Norodin Hassan operating in North Cotabato and nearby areas of Maguindanao province.
He said the local terror group has reportedly established links with foreign ISIS extremist group which served as financier for the local terror group to conduct terror attacks and atrocities in Central Mindanao.