ZAMBOANGA CITY ? A key figure of ISIS in East Asia and leader of the Dawlah Islamiya-Maute Group (DI-MG) involved in the December 3, 2023 university gymnasium bombing was killed in a clash with government forces in Lanao del Sur, the military said Saturday.

The 1st Infantry Division identified the fatality as Nasser Daud.

It said Daud was killed in a 15-minute clash with troops from the 51st Infantry Battalion (51IB) on Friday

in the mountainous terrain of Barangay Tambo, Bacolod-Kalawi, Lanao del Sur.

Troops of the 51st Infantry Battalion were conducting security operation when they chanced upon Daud, triggering a 15-minute firefight.

After the firefight, the troops recovered a M16A1 rifle with 92 round of ammunition, three steel magazines, an ISIS flag, personal belongings such as a backpack, three cellular phones, and a Baofeng two-day radio.

“His death marks a significant setback for the Islamic State (IS) East Asia network, of which he was a key

figure,” the 1st Infantry Division said in a statement.

The 1st Infantry Division said Daud was directly involved in the December 3, 2023, bombing at the gymnasium of the Mindanao State University in Marawi City. Four died and 50 were injured. DMS