2 BIFF men, soldier dead in Maguindanao assault

From Malaya Business Insight (Mar 12, 2019): 2 BIFF men, soldier dead in Maguindanao assault

MILITARY aircraft and artillery assets pounded a lair of the Daesh-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Shariff Saydona Mustapha town in Maguindanao on Monday, leading to the death of two BIFF men and a soldier and wounding of six other BIFF members. “It started with a bomb run,” said Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

He said the bomb run, which started at 5:50 a.m., targeted a lair of the BIFF in Barangay Inaladan. Sobejana said MG 520 attack helicopters then fired rockets at the lair, followed by shelling, using military howitzers.

“There was demonstration of air power initially then after that, there was a ground maneuver. The ground maneuver resulted to multiple encounters, leading to the death of two and wounding of six on the enemy side initially,” said Sobejana.

Sobejana said a sergeant from the Army’s 61st Division Reconnaissance Company was hit in the head while maneuvering towards the enemy lair across a river. The identity of the soldier was withheld.

As of yesterday afternoon, Sobejan said sporadic firefight were still ongoing against an estimated 100 to 120 BIFF men led by Abu Toraype, Salahudin Hassan and Singaporean Muhamad Ali Abdul Rahiman, alias Mauwiyah. HE said that also in the area was Esmail Abubakar, alias commander Bungos, a leader of a BIFF faction.

Sobejana said Toraype and Abubakar had differences on how to run the organization a few years back. “They’ve established a tactical alliance and they are fighting side by side against us,” Sobejana said.

Sobejana said members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front are ready to come to the aid of the military if necessary. The BIFF is composed mostly of former members of the MILF that signed a peace accord with government in 2014.

https://malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/2-biff-men-soldier-dead-maguindanao-assault