15 Bangsamoro fighters dead, 8 wounded in Maguindanao operations
FIFTEEN members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) were killed and eight were wounded in ongoing operations against the terrorists in Maguindanao, the military reported on Monday.
Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said that all casualties were from the side of the BIFF.
He said the military also arrested a BIFF bomb expert and his wife after the pre-dawn raid on Sunday.
They were identified as Ustadz Anwar Ali, 22 and Asnaya Ali, 20.
Troops also recovered a caliber .50 rifle and a caliber5.56mm M4 Carbine from the arrested persons.
On Sunday, the military launched airstrikes against the BIFF within Liguasan Marsh, which surrounds the provinces of Maguindanao and North Cotabato.
The operations led to the dismantling of a factory of the BIFF’s improvised explosive devices (IED).
A Philippine flag was also raised by the military near the hideout of the BIFF atLiguasan Marsh.
Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, commander of the 33rd Infantry Battalion, said that there were trapped militants within the area.
“There are trapped militants according to our informant. There are foreign [terrorists]among them,” Cabunoc told The Manila Times in a text message.
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