Sixth
Infantry Division chief Major Gen. Romeo Gapuz on Monday afternoon announced
that operations aiming to neutralize members of the "Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters" (BIFF), which conducted a series of attacks in North Cotabato and Maguindanao killing an estimated 86
combatant, were called off due to the impending observance of Ramadan.
"We
called off already the operations in view of the Ramadan (as)the clearance
given to us by the (GPH-MILF) joint panel is three days only to conduct the law
enforcement operations," he added.
"So,
we have to abide by that because we don't want to derail the peace
process," Gapuz pointed out.
The
6th Infantry Division head made this statement two days after a series of heavy
firefights between government forces and the BIFF occurred in North
Cotabato and Maguindanao.
Officials
earlier placed the number of casualties from Saturday's clashes at 25, with
five dead and two wounded in the government side and 18 BIFF men killed in the
fight.
But
on Monday, Gapuz said 86 combatants - six soldiers and 80 BIFF men, were killed
during the heavy fighting.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=542152
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