Thursday, July 28, 2016

2 soldiers hurt in BIFF-MILF encounter in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 28): 2 soldiers hurt in BIFF-MILF encounter in Maguindanao

Two soldiers were wounded in a clash with Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF),which was reinforced by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao Thursday.

601st Infantry Brigade commander Col. Cirilito Sobejana said his troops were on security operations in the area when they encountered 30 BIFF men under Imam Minimbang, alias Commander Karialan, in Barangay Pamalian at around 6:10 a.m.

Karialan is the first cousin of Wahid Tundok, commander of the MILF’s 118th Base Command.

An hour later, an estimated 100 MILF troops reinforced the BIFF, allegedly due to blood ties.

Sobejana said the reinforcing MILF came from the latter's118th and 105th Base Commands.

With this development, they immediately contacted the GRPH and MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities to intervene at around 10 a.m.

Members of the committee arrived at the site around 12 noon to the site.

“They met and both parties agreed to a ceasefire,” Sobejana stressed.

However, fighting continue until 4 p.m. as one of the MILF sub-commanders refused to heed the agreed ceasefire.

Sobejana said the fighting has left two soldiers wounded.

He said he could not determine the number of casualties on the MILF and BIFF.

Sobejana said there is no longer any fighting as of 5:30 p.m. but stressed the situation was tense due the refusal of one of the MILF sub-commanders to honor the ceasefire.

But he believed the incident was not sanctioned by the MILF leadership and that the latter was still committed in the peace negotiations.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=908400

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