Image by Alalam - Troops seized a training camp of the Maute Group in Lanao del Sur
- The camp has been captured by government troops last March, but the militants were able to re-occupy it
- The armed militants are believed to be on the run and in hiding
After 10 days of furious gun battle as part of the government’s effort to flush armed militants out of Mindanao jungles, government troops were able to recapture the Maute Group’s training camp in Lanao del Sur.
“The camp where they do training activities is now in the hands of our troops. As of now, we are conducting clearing operations in the nearby areas,” Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.
As noted in a GMA News Online article, the training camp was captured by the government last March but because local officials failed to post personnel to man the area, the Maute Group re-occupied it.
The militant group, which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terror organization, is believed to be on the run and in hiding after suffering heavy losses due to intensive operations by the military against them.
Reports said some militants were killed in the encounters, but no dead bodies were found when government troops allowed reporters into the area.
A military official described the training camp as being surrounded by swamps and lowland tropical forests. Structures in the camp were riddled with bullet holes that soldiers said were caused by machine gun fire used to flush out the militants.
Colonel Roseller Murillo of the Philippine Army said unexploded improvised explosive devices, a grenade launcher, a militant uniform and a black ISIS flag were left behind in the wooden huts and concrete-reinforced trenches used by the armed militants.
Murillo told media that the military will fully enforce the law if the Maute Group initiates other terrorist activities in the area.
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