Four outlaws linked to Dawlah Islamiya killed in Philippine clash

Four individuals linked to the Dawlah Islamiya criminal group have been killed during joint police and Army operations in Banisilan, Cotabato, in the southern Philippines. The law enforcement actions, conducted over two days, targeted members of a gang associated with the extremist group.

The deceased were identified as followers of Medalya Sultan Tidong, a notorious gang leader wanted for numerous high-profile offenses including multiple murder, extortion, arson, and drug trafficking. Tidong himself is accused of providing sanctuary to remnants of the defunct Dawlah Islamiya terror group.

According to officials, the operations were initiated to serve multiple arrest warrants against Tidong and his associates. However, the suspects reportedly resisted arrest, leading to armed confrontations. Three followers were killed in the initial encounter on Wednesday, July 8, while another associate, Wawie Tidong, was killed in a separate clash on Thursday morning.

Tidong and six other companions managed to escape the initial operation and fled into a nearby hinterland. Authorities reported that local executives and villagers in Banisilan provided crucial support to the law enforcement teams, helping them locate the suspects' hideout. Residents confirmed that Tidong's group had been forcibly collecting money and rice from the community.

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Villagers and local executives openly supported the two-day joint police-Army law-enforcement operations against a criminal gang in Banisilan, Cotabato that left four gunmen dead.