ZAMBOANGA CITY ? Two alleged Dawlah Islamiya terrorists were killed while two of their wounded comrades were captured in an armed encounter with government troops in Maguindanao del Sur, the military said Monday.

Brig. Gen. Edgar Catu, 601st Infantry Brigade commander, said the clash happened shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, in Barangay Libutan, Mamasapan.

Catu said troops of the 6th Infantry Battalion (6IB), 33Ist Brigade and other operating units of the 603Bde launched military operations when they received reports that the DI-Hassan group terrorists “were gathering in the area and planning to commit violence by planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in populated areas.

Catu said killedwere Tahir Salim Suweb, 41, a resident of Barangay Baka, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte; and, Benladin Adi Kamid, 23, a resident of Macasampen, Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur.

Wounded and captured were Junjun Kayogen Leosen, 37, from Barangay Salbu, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur; and Rasul Mendoza Kariman, 31, a resident of Barangay Bagan, Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur.

Catu said the troops brought the two wounded to separate public hospitals.

Catu has ordered his troops to intensify the pursuit against the other members of the DI-Hassan Group.

He said the DI-Hassan Group members were involved in the killing of three businessmen from Batangas on May 30 and other robberies and killings of civilians.

He said they are also the main suspects in the ambush “of our troops in Datu Hoffer in March last year, which killed four of our soldiers.” DMS