ARMY troops have captured a wounded Dawlah Islamiya (DI) terrorist amid a firefight in Maguindanao del Norte province, a top military official said Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
Brigadier General Jose Vladimir Cagara, 1st Brigade Combat Team (1BCT) commander, said Kamsa Budjal, was captured around 5:40 a.m. Sunday, June 22, in Barangay Alamda, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte.
Budjal, who uses the aliases of Ustads, Ali, and Oding, is a member of the DI-Hassan Group, a notorious extremist armed group that has dwindled in numbers due to the intensified military offensive against them.
Budjal was wounded in the firefight following the launch of military operation by the troops of the 1BCT.
The troops recovered an M653 rifle, an M16AI rifle, a shotgun, medical paraphernalia, ammunition, magazines, cellular phones, bomb-making components, subversive documents, and other war material at the clash site.
"Although he is an enemy of the state, we immediately place Budjal under medical treatment. This is proof that our armed forces stand for humane treatment even for those who oppose our government," Cagara said.
"His capture is a major blow to their small group, and at the same time, we have thwarted a possible sabotage against our communities," he added.
Meanwhile, Major General Donald Gumiran, 6th Infanry Division and Joint Task Force Central commander, lauded the success of the military operation.
"Our troops demonstrated a high level of professionalism and dedication to service. This successful operation is another step in our continued fight against terrorism and protection of our citizens," Gumiran said.
He called on the remaining members of the DI-Hassan group to surrender and live peacefully, saying the opportunity is in their hands to change and join the cause for regional peace. (SunStar Zamboanga)