OTABATO CITY – Government troops killed two members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in a firefight in Maguindanao del Sur’s Datu Ampatuan town in southern Philippines.
Brig. Gen. Jose Vladimir Caraga, commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team, said soldiers recovered the bodies of the slain Islamists and their weapons – one M16 automatic rifle and a Barrett sniper rifle, including two improvised explosives - following the weekend clash.
He said no soldiers were killed or wounded in the fighting. Caraga said the operation was continuing against the BIFF after the escape of about 20 gunmen from the village.
Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, commended the soldiers in the killing of the enemies. He also urged gunmen to surrender peacefully.
“Patuloy ang ating panawagan sa mga miyembro ng BIFF na magbalik loob na sa pamahalaan, dahil hindi kami mangingiming pulbusin kayo kung patuloy pa rin kayong lalaban sa ating gobyerno. Ang mga narekober nating mga baril at pampasabog ay indikasyon lamang sa mga masasamang balakin nila na nahadlangan ng ating mg kasundaluhan,” he said.
The BIFF is a breakaway faction of the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front headed by Ahod Ebrahim, now the Chief Minister of the Muslim autonomous region, which signed a peace deal with Manila in March 2014. (Mindanao Examiner)
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