COTABATO CITY(January 29) — Around 80 families fled their homes in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, after renewed clashes between the military and the Dawlah Islamiya (DI)-Hassan Group erupted in remote mountain villages on Tuesday.
The 90th Infantry Battalion (90IB) engaged the terrorist faction after civilians reported their presence, resulting in one soldier killed and another wounded. Casualties on the side of the terrorists are still unknown.
Maj. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said operations targeted Sitio Bagurot, Barangay Tuayan Mother, to dismantle the group’s regrouping efforts. “There will be no letup until this faction is eradicated,” he said.
Evacuees are now sheltered at the covered court of Barangay Tuayan Mother, where officials are providing food, water, and other essentials. Families told of fear and uncertainty as children and elders struggle to cope with displacement.
The latest skirmishes highlight the persistent threat of DI in Maguindanao del Sur and the continuing toll on civilians and military personnel in remote communities.
