23 killed in PHL gov't, BIFM clash

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 7): 23 killed in PHL gov't, BIFM clash

Five government soldiers and at least 18 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement were killed in renewed hostilities in the southern Philippine provinces of Maguindanao and North Cotabato, a military spokesman said Sunday.

Three of the slain soldiers, including a first lieutenant, died when the BIFM fighters detonated a landmine in the outskirts of Sharriff Saidona Mustapha town in Maguindanao around 4 p.m. Saturday, said the 6th Infantry Division spokesman Dickson Hermoso.

Two other soldiers were injured in the explosion which was followed by fighting, he said.

"They were conducting law enforcement operation against the BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters)," he said.

Five hours earlier, Hermoso said two other soldiers, one from the 7th Infantry Battalion and another from the 5th Special Forces Battalion, died in clash with BIFM fighters in Paidu Pulangi Village in Pikit Town in North Cotabato.

"They were on a blocking position when the fighting ensued," Hermoso said.

The BIFF is the original name of the group which was founded by former Moro Islamic Liberation Front commander Ameril Umbra Kato in 2010. Its leadership later renamed it to BIFM which has about 300 men.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=541839