A recent clash between security forces and militants in the southern Philippines has resulted in the deaths of twelve militants, with seven soldiers wounded, according to a statement by the army.
The skirmish occurred on Monday in Maguindanao del Sur province on Mindanao island, a region known to harbor various armed groups, including communist insurgents and Islamist militants.
The Philippine Army reported that the leader of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters-Karialan Faction and his brother were among those killed, along with ten other fighters. Additionally, seven soldiers sustained injuries during the confrontation.
In a late Monday statement, the army revealed that twelve high-powered firearms, including five M16 rifles, were confiscated during the operation.
The southern region of the Philippines has long been plagued by a Muslim separatist insurgency and the presence of extremist factions pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group.
While a peace agreement was reached with the nation’s largest rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, in 2014, smaller bands of Muslim fighters opposed to the deal persist, alongside communist rebels operating in the area.