MANILA, Philippines- Inaasahang malapit nang mabuwag ang Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute Group matapos ang serye ng military operations na kumitil sa pinuno nito at ilang mga miyembro, ayon sa Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) nitong Martes.
Sa isang press briefing, sinabi ni AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla na 12 Maute members ang nasawi, tatlo ang sumuko, at tatlo ang naaresto sa mga nasabing operasyon.
"Maute Group is already on a brink of collapse following a series of decisive military and joint law enforcement operations, particularly against the leadership and perpetrators of the Mindanao State University (MSU) improvised explosive device bombing," anang opisyal.
Iniulat ng AFP nitong Lunes na napatay ang umano'y mastermind sa MSU bombing sa Marawi City noong nakaraang Disyembre sa military operation sa Lanao del Sur.
Kinilala ang nasawing si Khadafi Mimbesa o "Engineer," na siya ring pinuno ng Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute Group.
"Statements from a surrendered terrorist, identified as KHATAB, a high-value individual in the DI-Maute Group who surrendered to the 2nd Mechanized Brigade on February 11, have corroborated the initial information on demise of the DI-Maute Group Amir and the mastermind behind the MSU bombing," pahayag ng AFP.
Nasawi rin sina Saumay Saiden o Omar at Abdul Hadi o "Hodi Imam" o "Abday'n."
Anang AFP, si Saiden ay subleader ng Maute Group at siya umanong nagpasabog ng bomba sa MSU.
Samantala, si Hadi umano ay isang improvised explosive device (IED) expert.
"The death of Omar and Engineer as well as the surrender of Khatab brought the DI-MG leadership in disarray. Engineer who has good leadership and sympathy with his comrades and Khatab with wide network in Lanao del Norte due to family ties and strong personality greatly affected the group's ability to operate," ani Padilla.
"On their strength and capabilities, the neutralization of the DI-MG's trained bomber and combat skilled members rendered the group significantly decapacitated to launch large-scale terroristic attacks," dagdag niya.
Nilusob ng Islamic State-inspired Maute group ang Marawi City noong May 23, 2017, na nagresulta sa five-month armed conflict kung saan nasawi ang libo-libong indibidwal at nagdulot ng pinsala sa lungsod.
Nangako si Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. na ipagpapatuloy ang rehabilitasyon ng Marawi City, at sinabing naglaan ng P1 bilyon para sa mga biktima ng Marawi siege.
Ayon naman sa AFP, walang na-monitor na aktibidad kaugnay ng recruitment ng Maute Group.
"Overall, the intelligence and decisive military operation greatly hampered the DI-MG's capability to carry out another act of terrorism that could instill fear and intimidation in the community," ani Padilla. RNT/SA