Philippines forces kill 10 Islamist militants in arrest gunfight

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Kathmandu: Philippines security forces killed 10 armed Islamist militants who resisted arrest, police said.

The shootout with police and soldiers occurred in the predominantly Catholic south, which has a significant Muslim population. Regional police reported that the dead included Amerol Mangoranka, a leader of the armed group known as Dawlah Islamiyah. It is reported that a one-hour-long gun battle took place with the group, which included the rebel leader's wife and three other women.

The military stated that there were no casualties among their forces and that they recovered firearms and explosives. A report from the Philippine Army's 1st Infantry Division suspects this group was responsible for an incident in January that left four soldiers dead and one injured.

Major General Yegor Barokillo, commander of the military unit, confirmed in a statement that the slain gunmen were part of the network responsible for the Marawi siege and years of violence.

In May 2017, hundreds of Filipino Muslim fighters, along with foreign militants, reportedly joined forces to seize the city of Marawi in Mindanao.

After a five-month bloody siege by government forces, more than 1,000 people lost their lives, and senior leaders of the extremist group were killed.