Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) fatalities have
reached 30 in wake of the military's ongoing clearing operation in Maguindanao.
This was disclosed by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato in a briefing Tuesday.
Military operations against the BIFF started on Feb. 5 when
the bandits attacked and torched a dredging project in Butilen River
Detoyato said the 30 BIFF fatalities were confirmed by
government troops through the use of visual technology.
He added that troops are still conducting operations in
nearby Barangay Tee so that the flood control project will be completed.
Detoyato, however, said that the military is yet to recover
the bodies of the slain bandits due to difficulties in crossing and moving
through the marshy terrain.
Earlier, the AFP announced that it has disarmed 100
improvised explosive devices (IEDs) laid by the BIFF during clearing operations
at Barangay Tee.
This was confirmed by AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto
Padilla.
The more than two week-long clearing operations has resulted
in the wounding of three troopers engaged in the disarming of the IEDs.
Padilla also clarified that there are no more BIFF bandits
in the area but he warned residents from returning yet as the brigands
indiscriminately scattered IEDs and other booby traps during their retreat
where they mixed with the local populace, making their identification difficult
and time consuming.
He called these acts as "anti-people" and
"anti-development" as this atrocities effectively stalled ongoing
development projects in the area.
The military spokesperson also added that Barangay Tee
seemed to be the center of the BIFF bomb-making effort due to the number of
IEDs recovered and disarmed in the locality.
Padilla said disarming efforts will continue at a pace safe
for the EOD teams.
He stressed that a foreign terrorist seemed to have provided
the BIFF with assistance in constructing these deadly weapons.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=860031
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