Philippine Security Forces Find Explosives in Raid on Daesh-Linked Group

Military and police forces in the south of the Philippines seized firearms and explosive materials in a raid conducted on property of an extremist group believed to be linked with Daesh, local media reported Tuesday citing an army spokesman.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Maj. Filemon Tan Jr. of the Western Mindanao Command, cited by the Philippine Star newspaper, said that the raid followed the killing of an Army ranger on Monday by members of the Daesh-inspired Maute Group.

According to the official, the combined forces of the police, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the 65th Infantry Battalion recovered a rocket propelled grenade launcher and a chainsaw during the raid. One officers was injured in the operation.

Currently, the Philippine forces conduct an operation in the Lanao del Sur province against 300 armed militants of the Maute group, which have gained control over several districts of the city of Butig.