Army clearing operations vs BIFF continues

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 23): Army clearing operations vs BIFF continues

The Army's 6th Infantry Division through its 7th Infantry Battalion is continuing its clearing operations with Army bomb experts conducting post-conflict assessment in regained villages, an Army regional spokesperson Monday said.

Capt. Joanne Petinglay, 6th ID spokesperson, said the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) have fled toward the Liguasan marshland, particularly in the villages of Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao after the Army launched artillery operation.

"More than 100 BIFF lawless elements have been driven out of at least seven interior villages of Pikit and Pagalungan," Petinglay said.

Army bomb experts have been conducting clearing operations in the village of Kabasalan, Pikit where the BIFF occupied and stayed for about a week.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which clashed with rival BIFF since Feb. 13, recovered eight improvised bombs left by fleeing lawless elements.

Citing information from its members, Commander Kamid, a sub commander of MILF based in Pikit, said the BIFF left an undetermined number of improvised bombs fashioned from 60 and 81 mm mortars.

Kamid said the MILF detonated the IEDs by setting them on fire in an open field.

Kamid also advised civilians not return to their communities as of yet as clearing operations by the Philippine Army was still on going in the villages of Kabasalan, Bulol, Buliok and Barongis in Pikit and Kalbugan in Pagalungan, Maguindanao.

Tahira Kalantongan, Pikit municipal disaster risk reduction and management council officer, said at least 25 houses were torched.

Without saying who burned the houses, Kalantongan said the local government of Pikit has started distributing housing materials for civilians who lost their homes due to fire.

At least 20,000 civilians, mostly Moro residents, have fled from a dozen communities situated in the borders of Maguindanao and North Cotabato.

A "rido" or family feud involving leaders of the MILF and BIFF triggered evacuation.

Involved in the "rido" were only members of the MILF and BIFF and not the entire organizations, its leaders have repeatedly said.

BIFF's Kagi Karialan is at odds with Commander Jack Abas of the MILF. The clash which began on February 13 left MILF sub-Commander Datukong Ampauan alias Commander Falcon and four of his men dead.

Abas said the clashes also killed 13 BIFF fighters but Abu Misry Mama, the spokesman of the BIFF, denied his group suffered heavy casualties.

When the MILF, through the ceasefire committee, sought help from the Army, the 7th IB launched artillery fire, forcing the bandits to fled toward the marshland.

Unconfirmed reports said about 30 BIFF were killed. The MILF in Barangay Bulol told reporters the BIFF suffered heavy casualties based on information they gathered on the ground.

Capt. Petinglay said the Army could not confirm nor deny the report on casualty figure.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=738039