The military has deployed three battalions, or around 1,500 troops in an offensive against a Moro rebel faction that has been harassing government positions since the weekend.
The 6th Infantry Division launched the offensive Monday morning, shortly after fighters of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which broke away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front two years ago, resumed harassing military outposts and vehicles carrying troops in Maguindanao province earlier in the day.
6th ID spokesman Colonel Dickson Hermoso said Monday’s offensive was a “law enforcement operation in partnership with the local police” against BIFF units and leaders who have “sown chaos in the areas of Cotabato and Maguindanao,” particularly the towns of Shariff Saidona Mustapha, Sultan sa Barongis and Datu Piang in Maguindanao and Pikit in North Cotabato.
[Video: 6th ID spokesman Col. Dickson Hermoso announcing the offensive (video by Dennis Arcon, InterAksyon.com)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19HsaO8oh98]
The government operations are also reportedly supported by MILF fighters.
BIFF fighters had also been reportedly harassing military outposts and vehicles since Saturday, just before the signing of the Annex of Normalization of the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro between the government and the MILF.
Before the offensive was announced, intermittent explosions were noted along the boundary of North Cotabato and Maguindanao early Monday morning.
A series of explosions also rocked Lanao del Sur, North Cotabato and Cotabato provinces Friday and Saturday, although one of the blasts, which wounded seven soldiers in Makilala town, North Cotabato early Saturday, was blamed on the New People’s Army.
The first explosion, near the municipal hall of Malabang, Lanao del Sur on Friday night, was caused by dynamite laced with petroleum and ammonium nitrate.
Saturday afternoon, a homemade bomb targeted a military vehicle in Barangay Nabalawag, Midsayap, Cotabato that was carrying a squad of soldiers who had just delivered tents to a camp. No one was hurt in the incident.
And around 8 p.m. Saturday, a barangay councilor’s home was the target of a grenade attack in Pikit, North Cotabato. Although no one was hurt, the attack left relatives of Barangay Inug-og Councilor Anthony Angob terrified.
Among the military’s principal targets is BIFF commander Ustadz Muhaiden Animbang, who uses the noms de guerre Kagul Kadialen and Karialan, who leads some 250 fighters.
A picture from a wanted poster of BIFF commander Ustadz Muhaiden Animbang (Dennis Arcon, InterAksyon.com)
However, the military would not comment on the whereabouts and condition of Ustadz Ameril Umbra Kato, the former MILF commander who founded the BIFF, who reportedly suffered a stroke shortly after leading the breakaway and has not been heard from since.
There have been reports of civilians fleeing their homes in Datu Piang to avoid the crossfire.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/79507/military-mounts-offensive-after-biff-opens-hostilities
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