8 Daesh-linked terrorists killed in clashes

From the Gulf Today (Jul 6): 8 Daesh-linked terrorists killed in clashes

Eight members of a Daesh-linked Moro “rebel” group were killed in continuing encounters with government forces who foiled their attempt to overrun a town hall in Maguindanao province in restive Mindanao, the military confirmed on Wednesday.

Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc, an Army infantry battalion commander, reported that four of those killed were members of the Bangsamoro Moro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in their foiled attempt to capture the Datu Paglas town hall in Maguindanao on Monday morning.

Cabunoc added a soldier was also killed and three others, including a militiaman, were wounded in the foiled attempt, highlighted by attack helicopters and armored vehicles that assisted the ground forces.
On Tuesday, government forces pursuing the Datu Paglas attackers, also killed four other BIFF members in a separate encounter that lasted for two hours in a “barangay” (village) in the town of Mamasapano, according to Cabunoc.

He added that aside from the four confirmed deaths, the BIFF could have suffered more fatalities and others wounded in the clash that occurred about 500 metres away from the Datu Paglas town hall.

The terrorists, Cabunoc revealed, took five minors as hostages, who, however, escaped unscathed during the heavy fighting.

The military said the BIFF was founded by the late Ameril Umbra Kato, a veteran field commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who seceded with about 1,000 of his armed followers due to major policy differences with the front leaders over the conduct of their peace negotiations with the government.

Although the BIFF has since broken into three rival factions, they all pledged allegiance to the Deash extremists in the Middle East and even carried the black Daesh flag in their encounters with government forces, the military disclosed.

Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, an Army infantry division commander, said they were determined to pursue their “search and destroy operation” against the BIFF that supported two other Daesh-linked terror groups - the Abu Sayyaf and the Maute Group - that laid siege to Marawi City in May 2017.

“Let us prevent the terrorists from sowing chaos in urban centers or institute the tactics that they used in Marawi last year,” Sobejana pointed out.

http://www.gulftoday.ae/portal/6f6050e8-9069-4438-a190-f2f308578e75.aspx