Authorities have identified the slain militant as the leader of the Abu Sayyaf militant group, known for its ties to the "Islamic State." Since the 1990s, the Philippines have fought against the group's insurgency.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M.R. Costa
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Philippine forces killed a suspected Islamist militant on Saturday during clashes with an "Islamic State"-linked group.
Joselito Melloria was shot dead in a gun battle with government forces made up of army troops and police in Bohol province. The troops were hunting Melloria and his band of fighters after a clash earlier this month.
The Philippines military spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said "one lawless element" was killed in the firefight but he could not give the man's identity.
However, Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto identified the man as Abu Sayyaf leader Joselito Melloria, who was among militants involved in a kidnapping plot on the province's main island.
Melloria, a convert to Islam and a Bohol resident, led Abu Sayyaf militants from their jungle encampments in the south to his Bohol village in Inabanga. Officials believe the militants were planning bombing attacks and kidnappings for ransom.
Melloria, who converted to Islam in 2005 when he married a Muslim woman, escaped that battle, fleeing with at least seven other militants. In response, authorities launched a massive manhunt, with President Rodrigo Duterte offering a 1 million peso ($20,000) reward for information leading to the capture of the fleeing militants.
Terrorist organization
Government forces encountered Melloria - whose nom de guerre is Abu Alih - Saturday with six fellow militants. It was not immediately clear how many, if any, of the militants traveling with Melloria were killed or injured during Saturday's clash.
Melloria took a yearlong trip to Saudi Arabia, returning to the Philippines in 2015 and joining Maute, a small band of militants based in the south who declared allegiance to the "Islamic State" (IS) militant group. Subsequently, he assimilated with another IS-linked group, Ansar Khilafa Philippines, and Abu Sayyaf, according to the military.
Philippine security officials said that had the Bohol plots been successful, Melloria would have become the leader of Ansar Khilafa Philippines, whose leader was killed in January during a clash with police.
The fighting and foiled terror plots in Bohol have unnerved local residents and prompted Western countries to warn their citizens about traveling to the Philippines' central region, a popular tourist destination.
The United States and the Philippines have labeled the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization because of bombings, kidnappings for ransom and beheadings.
What is the 'Islamic State'?
IS has gone from an obscure al-Qaida splinter group to a global phenomenon. DW takes a look at the defining aspects of the jihadi group — from its "caliphate" to its tactics.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Al-Furqan
Where did it come from?
The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Where does it operate?
IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.
Who is fighting back?
The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Huseyin
How does it fund itself?
One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.
Image: Getty Images/J. Moore
Where does it carry out attacks?
IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Spingler
What other tactics does it use?
The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Eid
How has it impacted the region?
IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild.
