Military braces for more BIFF attacks, deploys more troops to Central Mindanao

From InterAksyon (Sep 25): Military braces for more BIFF attacks, deploys more troops to Central Mindanao

The military said Wednesday it has deployed more troops to areas in Central Mindanao that could be the next targets of “terrorism activities” by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

Colonel Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said there had been no skirmishes with the BIFF since Tuesday night but added that troops continue to conduct pursuit operations against the rebels who engaged security forces in clashes that began Sunday night in Midsayap town, North Cotabato.

The hostilities claimed the lives of at least three soldiers, four rebels and two farmers, one of whom was allegedly beheaded by the rebels.

More than 2,000 families from the Midsayap barangays of Nes, Patindigin, Polongoguen, Malingao, Nabalawag, Ranagaban, Tugal, Tumbras, and Agriculture.

“Our pursuit operations are (not letting up). We’ve intelligence reports about their next moves and we’re on active mode to ensure the safety of communities, civilians, roads, bridges, and vital installations,” Hermoso said.

The last firefight between government troops and BIFF gunmen happened past 7 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Mapagkaya Paidu Pulangi, Pikit, North Cotabato in which a blocking force of soldiers engaged more than 50 rebels.

No casualty was reported in the incident.

But in an indication that the violence had spilled over to neighboring areas, the military said it was monitoring the reported movement of 50 BIFF fighters in the Reina Regente complex in Barangay Dasawao, Sharif Saydona Mustapha town, Maguindanao.

“There is no significant incident in North Cotabato and Maguindanao as of now. The situation in Midsayap, North Cotabato is back to normal,” Hermoso said.

At the height of the fighting, the rebels allegedly seized more than 20 teachers, students and village officials from the elementary school in Barangay Malingao, Midsayap, using them as “human shields” to ward of pursuing government forces.
The BIFF broke away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/71462/military-braces-for-more-biff-attacks-deploys-more-troops-to-central-mindanao