Military retaliates, eliminates 9 members of Dawlah Islamiyah following Marawi bombing attack
The Philippines is currently witnessing intense military operations against the ISIS-inspired group, Dawlah Islamiyah, in the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur and Cotabato. These operations, led by the Army's 602nd Brigade and the Task Force Central under the 6th Division, began on December 5, 2025, following the deadly bombing in Marawi City on December 3.
The bombing, which occurred inside a gym at the state-run Mindanao State University (MSU), claimed the lives of four Catholic mass-goers and injured nearly four dozen others. The Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The ongoing operations are part of a larger campaign against ISIS-inspired groups in the region. The military and police have not yet confirmed any casualties from the recent operations, but it is reported that at least nine members of Dawlah Islamiyah were killed in air and ground offensives.
Tension has gripped communities in Pikit, Kabacan (Cotabato province), Datu Montawal, and Pagalungan (Maguindanao del Sur) due to these operations. The connection to the Marawi bombing and broader conflict is tied to historic and ongoing insurgencies involving Islamist militant groups in Mindanao.
In June 2025, two alleged members of the Dawlah Islamiyah-Hassan Group were killed, and two others were injured and arrested in a clash in Maguindanao del Sur. An alleged Dawlah Islamiyah member was also arrested in Maguindanao del Sur in connection to armed attacks, indicating continued armed engagements.
The military and police have blamed the December 3 bombing in Marawi City on the Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute Group, a separate entity from the one targeted in the ongoing operations. However, both groups share ISIS ideology, with a related figure, Abu Zacharia, leader of the Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group, being killed in a raid outside Marawi in June 2023.
The ongoing fighting fits within the broader Moro conflict timeline, which includes multiple insurgent groups and periodic escalations across Mindanao. Despite the lack of direct, detailed reports of casualties specifically tied to bombing events linked to Dawlah Islamiyah in 2025, recovered bombs and attempted attacks indicate an active insurgency.
In summary, Dawlah Islamiyah remains a significant militant actor in southern Philippines with ties, both ideological and operational, to past and current ISIS-linked violence in Mindanao, including Marawi. The military operations against the group are ongoing as of the report's publication date.
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