THIRTY supporters and couriers of the Dawlah Islamiya-Maute Group (DI-MG) have surrendered to military in the province of Lanao del Sur, a top military official said.
Lieutenant Colonel Fernando Payapaya, 51st Infantry Battalion (IB) commander, said the DI-MG supporters surrendered Friday, March 4, three days after troops captured the rebels’ lair in Ilalag village, Maguing, Lanao del Sur.
The lair of DI-MG leader Faharudin Hadji Satar alias Abu Zacariah fell into the hands of government troops following hours of firefight preceded by an early morning airstrike Tuesday, March 2.
Brigadier General Jose Maria Cuerpo, II, 103rd Infantry Brigade commander, said that Abu Zacariha is the new emir of the Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Southeast Asia.
Payapaya said the 30 DI-MG supporters and couriers surrendered to the 51IB headquarters in Dilausan village, Madalum, Lanao del Sur. They are from Talao and Palacat villages in Piagapo town of the same province.
He said the surrender can be attributed to the successful offensive in Maguing on March 1 that brought fear to all other members and supporters of the DI-MG and the sustained combat operations in the hinter of Piagapo village where the DI-MG members were frequently monitored in the previous months.
Payapaya warmly welcomed the surrenderers who withdrew their support to the DI-MG.
The surrenderers sworn to the Holy Qur'an that they will never support again the DI-MG and before they returned to their respective villages, they received food packs from the local government and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. (SunStar Zamboanga)