Thousands of civilians flee as military, BIFF start all-out offensive
Thousands of residents of Datu Unsay in Maguindanao started evacuating early yesterday morning after fighting started between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
Last Wednesday,
AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang declared an all-out offensive
against the BIFF to protect communities from the Muslim rebels. In response,
BIFF spokesman Abu Misry Mama said yesterday that they will also launch their
own all-out offensive against the military in various parts of Mindanao .
The fighting
started shortly after around 80 heavily armed BIFF men, led by Commander
Karialan and Kadafy Abdulatip, set up a blockade at a vital portion of the Cotabato-General Santos National Highway
After receiving
reports about the BIFF blockade, members of the 45th Infantry Brigade and 2nd
Mechanized Company of the Army were deployed to conduct clearing operations in
the area. However, the government troops were met by gun fires from the BIFF
side at the national highway in Maitumaig, Datu Unsay.
Misry Mama had
earlier said that, “Kung papasok sila, magkabakbakan talaga. Kung hindi sila
mag-offensive kami ang mag-atake mga ilang araw mula ngayon (If they enter our
area, there will be a gunfight. If they will not launch offensives, we will
attack them in a few days).”
As of press time,
no casualty has been reported but thousands of residents have already
evacuated. But sources reported that a military tank was immobilized after it
was hit by a rocket fired from 90RR launcher.
Fleeing residents
said they saw at least six BIFF members killed and several others wounded
during the clash.
No casualties
were reported on the side of the government forces.
The Cotabato-General Santos Highway
“The highway is
already passable at past 1 p.m. and commuters were already allowed to pass. The
army and police forces are now securing the area,” said Senior Superintendent
Rodelio Jocson, Maguindanao police director.
Despite the lull,
Jocson said other evacuees are still in the national highway as they fear the
BIFF might return and harass them in their villages.
Misry Mama had
warned civilians near military detachments and installations to immediately
leave.
“Kailangan na
nila umalis kasi 100 percent gagawa kami ng pag-atake anytime (They have to
leave because 100 percent we will launch offensives anytime),” he added.
“EXTRA CARE’
Despite the
clashes, the military is taking “extra care” to avoid collateral damage on
civilian communities, Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Abigail Valte said.
“They do take
extreme care to make sure that civilians are not harmed in these operations,”
Valte said in a Palace press briefing.
Valte said the
government has established evacuation centers for families displaced by the
fighting between the military and the rebels in the south.
“Part of the
deployment of troops would be to assure the safety of civilians. We have, yes
indeed, gotten reports that there are evacuations or at least families are
moving to avoid fighting. We do make sure that these families make it to a safe
place, or at least in their perception what is a safe place,” Valte said.
SPARE KIDS, SCHOOLS
Meanwhile, the
Department of Education (DepEd) in Region 12 called on the military and the
BIFF to spare the children and local schools from their conflict.
Dr. Allan
Farnazo, DepEd Region 12 director, issued the call as the military and the BIFF
declared all-out offensive against each other.
He said both
parties should exert efforts to make sure that school children and local
schools will not be affected by their operations.
http://www.mb.com.ph/new-mindanao-war-begins/
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