Friday, February 27, 2015

Troops, BIFF clash in Maguindanao

From the Mindanao Examiner BlogSpot site (Feb 27): Troops, BIFF clash in Maguindanao

Government forces clashed Friday with BIFF rebels in the province of Maguindanao in the restive Muslim autonomous region in southern Philippines, but there were no immediate reports of casualties on both sides.

The fighting erupted in the town of Datu Unsay, a known stronghold of the Ampatuan political clan which is opposed to Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu.

Mangudadatu, who also belongs to a powerful political clan, accused his rival as among those involved in the brutal killings of 44 police commandos on January 25 during a secret anti-terror operation that took down Malaysian bomber Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan in Mamasapano town.

Police tagged the BIFF and Moro Islamic Liberation Front members and armed civilians as behind the killings of the Special Action Force commandos in Tukanalipao village, a known stronghold of the MILF, which signed a peace deal with Manila last year.

The Western Mindanao Command and 6th Infantry Division did not release any information on the progress of the new offensive ordered by Philippine military chief General Gregorio Catapang against the BIFF, a breakaway group from the larger MILF now fighting for Muslim independence in the troubled region.

But Abu Misry Mama, a spokesman for the BIFF, said they are ready to face the military offensive and even dared army and police commanders to come and get them.

The MILF has joined the military in the hunt for BIFF members as part of the peace agreement.

Some BIFF and MILF commanders had previously clashed in North Cotabato and Maguindanao not because of the renewed government offensive, but due to old grudge and territorial claims and control over vast tracts of land in the provinces.

Despite the fighting among its commanders, most of the BIFF and MILF members are relatives and have defended each other or fought side by side against government forces.

The military and police authorities have previously accused the MILF of coddling Zulkifli and Abdulbasit Usman, a former member of the rebel group, and other Malaysian and Indonesian members of the Jemaah Islamiya. But the MILF has strongly denied this allegation.

Zulkifli was killed by police commandos inside a thatched hut deep inside the territory of the MILF 105th Base Command. His hideout was recently burned down, but authorities could not say who was behind it.

Police commandos were on their way to re-join more than 300 SAF members deployed near the village after killing Zulkifli and cutting off his finger for DNA analysis when MILF forces, aided by BIFF ambushed them that sparked daylong clashes.

The MILF recently surrendered to the military – at least 16 weapons, mostly automatic rifles, including two machine guns – inside the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division in Maguindanao. The weapons were then handed over to the police, but SAF sources claimed the guns had been cannibalized and that many of its parts were either taken out or replaced with defective mechanism.

But a Catholic priest Father Eliseo Mercado alleged that the MILF surrendered the weapons in exchange for money, an accusation that the rebel group strongly denied.

Mohagher Iqbal, an MILF vice chairman and chief peace negotiator of the group, said the handover of the weapons was a gesture of their sincerity to the peace process. He also denied media reports quoting him as saying that renewed hostilities may breakout in the restive region if the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law or BBL is rejected by Congress.

Lawmakers shelved the BBL until investigations into the deadly clashes between SAF and MILF is completed. The BBL is important in crafting a new Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao.

At least 18 MILF and five BIFF were killed in the fierce fighting that the Aquino government claimed was a mis-encounter. Muslim human rights groups also claimed that 7 civilians were also killed by the police, but this could not be independently confirmed.

The Mamasapano clash drew widespread condemnation and is now threatening not only the peace process, but the presidency of Aquino as public outcry for his weak leadership continues to mount.

Lawmakers also joined the police in demanding the surrender of MILF rebels involved in the killing of SAF commandos. But the MILF said it will not surrender those that took part in the clashes

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2015/02/troops-biff-clash-in-maguindanao.html

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.