ZAMBOANGA CITY ? A leader and four followers of a crime syndicate alleged affiliated with the Dawlah Islamiya (DI) terrorists’ group were killed while another one was wounded and captured in a clash with government troops in Lanao del Norte, the military said Thursday.

In a statement Thursday, Lt. Gen. William Gonzalez, commander of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the clash happened Wednesday in Barangay Bangko, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) head Brig, Gen. Nicolas Torre said two suspects are involved in multiple heinous crimes, including the 2018 kidnapping of a woman from Zamboanga Sibugay

Gonzales said the group opened fire while the troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF)-Zampelan and police criminal investigators were about to serve warrants of arrest for murder, kidnapping, and serious illegal detention.

Gonzales said the firefight lasted for 30 minutes. Troops recovered three M-16 rifles, three Garand rifles, two caliber .45 pistols, two grenades, a bandoleer, two sling bags, a backpack and assorted ammunition, he added. DMS