Tuesday, April 9, 2019

7 hurt in Army-BIFF clash in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 9, 2019): 7 hurt in Army-BIFF clash in Maguindanao



A brief firefight erupted in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, leaving five members of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and two soldiers injured on Monday morning.

“The 20-minute encounter in Barangay Malingao forms part of the continuing military surgical operations against lawless elements in four adjoining towns of Maguindanao,” said Maj. Arvin John Encinas, Army’ 6th Infantry Division (ID) spokesperson, on Tuesday.

Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, 6th ID commander, said in a statement Monday that joint elements of 40th Infantry Battalion, 61st Reconnaissance Company, and 10th Special Forces Company discovered a BIFF lair with foxholes that can accommodate 25 persons in Sitio Mungkas of Barangay Malingao.


Soldiers also found medicine and dextrose containers in the foxholes along with eight .38-caliber revolvers, a shotgun, an Uzi submachine gun, first-aid kits, unexploded ordnance, one anti-personnel mine and magazines for M-16 and M-14 rifles.

“The terrorists are on the run and their capability to sow terror is certainly reduced,” Sobejana said, adding that they would continue to go after the extremists to put an end to the menace of terrorism.

At least 11 BIFF members were killed and five infantrymen were injured since the skirmishes started on March 11, including Ali Abdulmalik, a bomb-maker and brother of Abu Toraife, a BIFF faction leader who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria terror group.

He said surgical military operations have been concentrated in the towns of Shariff Aguak, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Shariff Saydona and Mamasapano, the area of operation of the BIFF-Toraife faction.

Toraife and his group were believed to be behind the bombing of a restaurant in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat on April 3 that left 18 persons injured.

Sobejana has appealed to the public to remain vigilant for possible retaliatory or diversionary attacks by the BIFF to avenge the death of their companions.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1066831

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