MANILA/DAVAO CITY: Philippine security forces said on Tuesday they had killed a Daesh spokesperson and 鈥渕oney man鈥� in the southern province of Maguindanao.

The Western Mindanao Command, which oversees military operations in the country鈥檚 south, identified the suspect as Abdulfatah Omar Alimuden, alias Abu Huzaifah, a Philippine national and member of Dawlah Islamiyah, a militant organization that pledged allegiance to the Daesh in 2015.

Maj. Andrew Linao, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command, told Arab News that Alimuden was killed in an operation in Datu Saudi Ampatuan municipality on Monday.

鈥淭he neutralization of the personality is a big blow to the organization,鈥� Linao said, adding that Alimuden was a 鈥渟pokesperson of ISIS (Daesh)鈥� and 鈥渇inance officer of the Dawlah Islamiyah Philippines conduit to ISIS (Daesh) central.鈥�

Linao added that the suspected finance officer will no longer be able to 鈥渆xtort or generate more funds to buy bomb materials, improvised explosive devices, which would wreak havoc on the Filipino people, especially here in central Mindanao.鈥� 

Col. Christopher Panapan, provincial police commander, said Alimuden died of multiple gunshot wounds after his vehicle was intercepted by security forces on a highway.

鈥淢inutes after we arrived at the scene, we rushed him to the nearest hospital, but he was declared dead by doctors,鈥� Panapan said, but did not confirm the suspect鈥檚 role or position within the militant group.

鈥淗e was reportedly holding a key position in the ISIS-EA (Daesh-East Asia) group,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e are digging more information about his role in their organization.鈥�

Dawlah Islamiyah, also known as the Maute group, was one the organizations that along with another Daesh affiliate, the Abu Sayyaf, took control of the city of Marawi in the southern Philippines in 2017.

After five months of fighting and widespread destruction, the Philippine army reclaimed the city, killing the main leadership of both groups.

But following the battle, attacks increased in the country and Daesh became a major cause of concern.

In 2018, the US Department of State designated Daesh-Philippines on its list of foreign terrorist organizations amid concerns that the group, which  originated in the Middle East, was expanding its operations in Southeast Asia.

At the same time, the Philippine military stepped up its crackdown on Daesh affiliates in the country.

The latest operation comes a week after a series of bomb attacks in Koronadal, South Cotabato province and Tacurong in Sultan Kudarat province, which the military has blamed on Dawlah Islamiyah.

Ramon Beleno III, head of the department of political science at Ateneo De Davao University in Davao City, told Arab News that the killing of the suspected Daesh finance chief 鈥渨ill result in difficulties for their group in seeking financial support.鈥�

But it may also lead to a rise in attacks.

鈥淭hey might retaliate,鈥� Beleno said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a house of ants. Once you ruin it, they will strike back.鈥�