The military defeated remnants of the pro-Islamic State (IS) Maute group who retreated to Lanao del Sur, resulting in the death of at least five militants in military operations since Sunday.

At press time, the military said that it is still verifying if among those killed was Abu Dar, who led the bandits.

Dar could be the last leader of the Maute group that led Islamic militants in the five-month siege of Marawi City last year.

“We have been monitoring the group of Dar since he is the only remaining leader of the Maute-IS,” Col. Romeo Brawner Jr, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Ranao, said.

Brawner added Dar is among those being groomed as emir or IS leader in Southeast Asia after the military shot dead Abu Sayyaf chief Isnilon Hapilon, who held the title during last year’s Marawi City siege.

The five-month siege of Marawi City displaced some 350,000 residents and resulted the death of more than 1,100 people, mostly militants.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said militants who escaped from Marawi City are recruiting fighters using looted cash, gold and jewelry.

“We learned a hard lesson from the Marawi experience. We should not underestimate the capability or the potential threat this group may pose against the safety of our civilians, even outside of Lanao Del Sur,” he said. Brawner added that operations are still ongoing against remnants of Dar’s group.

“(This operation) is part of the fulfillment of the promise of the AFP to go after the remnants of the Maute-ISIS group,” said Brawner.

Brawner added the military assault was the result of months-long intelligence operations and cooperation from the local government and residents of the province.

During the barangay and SK elections, their group was involved in the killing of one of the barangay captains, Brawner said.

“We are asking the public to stay calm. The 103rd Infantry Brigade is making sure that the hostilities will not extend beyond the mountainous areas of Tubaran and Pagayawan of Lanao del Sur,” said Brawner.

Brawner said the military held air and artillery strikes since Sunday that resulted in casualties from the terror group.

The assault started at around 9 am last Sunday in the mountainous areas of Tubaran town.

No casualty was reported on the government side.

“Around 723 families have been evacuated to Tubaran and Pagayawan.”

At the height of the siege, Dar reportedly escaped, taking with him a huge stash of cash looted by the Maute-IS group from business establishments and homes in Marawi City.

Authorities said Dar is using the stolen money to recruit more fighters.

Brawner said more than 700 families were transferred to secure areas to prevent them from being caught in the crossfire.

“Around 723 families have been evacuated to Tubaran and Pagayawan,” said Brawner.

According to a high-ranking military official, the terror group engaged soldiers in a firefight that escalated last Sunday.

Dar is a former lieutenant of Hapilon who is believed to have gone in hiding in the hinterlands of Sitio Guiarong.

No civilian casualties were reported as a result of the firefight, Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesperson of the Lanao del Sur Crisis Management Committee said.

Barangays in Tubaran affected by the clash are Wago, Guiarong Tubaran, Malaganding, Tubaran Proper, Madaya, Gaput, Dinaigan and Alog. There are also some residents trapped in Barangays Padas and Diampaca in Pagayawan.

Maute gunmen previously used Tubaran, with a population of around 50,000, as a training ground.

They used family connections in the town to move around and gain support, Governor Bedjoria Soraya Alonto Adiong said.

Adiong ordered local disaster officials to provide assistance to affected residents.