COTABATO – Government troops have recovered
two improvised explosives and weapons left behind by pro-ISIS fighters
following a series of clashes in the restive Muslim province of Maguindanao,
officials announced Wednesday.
Showing posts with label Arvin John Encinas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arvin John Encinas. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Thursday, April 4, 2019
Brother of pro-ISIS leader behind Isulan bombing slain in fighting
KIDAPAWAN CITY – Troops killed a brother of the notorious pro-ISIS commander of the militant group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters or BIFF in fierce fighting Thursday in the restive southern Philippine region of Mindanao, officials announced.
Officials said the clash erupted in Liguasan marshland in the troubled province of Maguindanao where soldiers killed Ali Abdulmalik, whose brother Esmail Abdulmalik, who is also called Abu Turaife, is the leader of Dawlah Islamiya or Islamic State in Mindanao.
“Early this morning, 6th Infantry Division troopers engaged in a heavy firefight against the BIFF in Liguasan marsh which resulted to the death of Ali Abdulmalik, brother of Abu Turaifei, Commander of Dawlah Islamiya,” Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said.
Sobejana did not say if there were military casualties in the fighting, but the BIFF also claimed the motorcycle bombing in Sultan Kudarat’s Isulan town in August 28 last year that killed 2 persons and wounded at least 35 others.
The blast coincided with the town’s 61st founding anniversary and occurred while the whole region is under martial rule. The motorcycle was parked along the highway near several shops in Kalawag village when it exploded. Two other improvised explosives were recovered not far from the area.
It was not immediately known whether the BIFF was also behind the April 3 bombing of the Carlito’s Chicken, a famous restaurant in Kalawag village in Isulan town that wounded 18 people.
Maj. Arvin Encinas, an army spokesman, said soldiers and policemen recovered from the blast site broken parts of a 9 volt battery and fragments of a cell phone, believed used to detonate the bomb, and concrete nails, including pieces of plastic container which were all part of the improvised explosive that went off outside the restaurant.
“We are still investigating who was behind this dastardly act. We also tightened security in the town to help local police force guard Isulan,” he said.
Sobejana said the bomber used an anti-personnel mine in the attack. He said the bombing occurred a week after an extortion letter was sent to the owner of Carlito’s Chicken by a lawless group. “The possible motives here are extortion and retaliation or diversionary tactics by lawless groups,” he said.
Mayor Marites Pallasigue said one of the food attendants in the restaurant saw a man left a plastic bag inside and immediately left. She said the witness followed the man to say that he left his bag, but he quickly disappeared outside the restaurant. The food attendant picked up the bag and put it outside the diner where it exploded nearly an hour later, according to Pallasigue.
No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the latest attack, but last year’s bombing in Isulan was claimed by ISIS, according to SITE Intelligence report. (With a report from Rhoderick Beñez.)
Thank you so much for visiting our website. Your small donation will ensure the continued operation of the Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper. Thank you again for supporting us. BPI: 952 5815649 (BOPIPHMM) Landbank: 195 113 9935 (TLBPPHMM)
Officials said the clash erupted in Liguasan marshland in the troubled province of Maguindanao where soldiers killed Ali Abdulmalik, whose brother Esmail Abdulmalik, who is also called Abu Turaife, is the leader of Dawlah Islamiya or Islamic State in Mindanao.
“Early this morning, 6th Infantry Division troopers engaged in a heavy firefight against the BIFF in Liguasan marsh which resulted to the death of Ali Abdulmalik, brother of Abu Turaifei, Commander of Dawlah Islamiya,” Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said.
Sobejana did not say if there were military casualties in the fighting, but the BIFF also claimed the motorcycle bombing in Sultan Kudarat’s Isulan town in August 28 last year that killed 2 persons and wounded at least 35 others.
The blast coincided with the town’s 61st founding anniversary and occurred while the whole region is under martial rule. The motorcycle was parked along the highway near several shops in Kalawag village when it exploded. Two other improvised explosives were recovered not far from the area.
It was not immediately known whether the BIFF was also behind the April 3 bombing of the Carlito’s Chicken, a famous restaurant in Kalawag village in Isulan town that wounded 18 people.
Maj. Arvin Encinas, an army spokesman, said soldiers and policemen recovered from the blast site broken parts of a 9 volt battery and fragments of a cell phone, believed used to detonate the bomb, and concrete nails, including pieces of plastic container which were all part of the improvised explosive that went off outside the restaurant.
“We are still investigating who was behind this dastardly act. We also tightened security in the town to help local police force guard Isulan,” he said.
Sobejana said the bomber used an anti-personnel mine in the attack. He said the bombing occurred a week after an extortion letter was sent to the owner of Carlito’s Chicken by a lawless group. “The possible motives here are extortion and retaliation or diversionary tactics by lawless groups,” he said.
Mayor Marites Pallasigue said one of the food attendants in the restaurant saw a man left a plastic bag inside and immediately left. She said the witness followed the man to say that he left his bag, but he quickly disappeared outside the restaurant. The food attendant picked up the bag and put it outside the diner where it exploded nearly an hour later, according to Pallasigue.
No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the latest attack, but last year’s bombing in Isulan was claimed by ISIS, according to SITE Intelligence report. (With a report from Rhoderick Beñez.)
Like Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindanaoexaminer
Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindanaoExamine
Share Our News: https://www.mindanaoexaminer.com
Mirror Site: https://mindanaoexaminernewspaper.blogspot.com
Digital Archives: https://issuu.com/mindanaoexaminernewspaper
Media Rates: https://mindanaoexaminer.com/ad-rates
Thank you so much for visiting our website. Your small donation will ensure the continued operation of the Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper. Thank you again for supporting us. BPI: 952 5815649 (BOPIPHMM) Landbank: 195 113 9935 (TLBPPHMM)
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Tight security in Maguindanao after abandoned motorcycle burst into flames
COTABATO CITY – Troops manning checkpoint in the southern Philippines were told Tuesday to stay vigilant and alert after an unidentified man abandoned his motorcycle which later caught fire after seeing a military roadblock in Maguindanao’s Talayan.
Major Arvin John Encinas, a spokesman for the 6th Infantry Division, said the man escaped and left his motorcycle upon seeing troops inspecting vehicles passing at the checkpoint.
He said the motorcycle was abandoned in front of a government school 100 meters away from the checkpoint and minutes later it burst into flames. He said the motorcycle was burned, but intact.
“We still do not know why the motorcycle caught fire. We are still investigating this incident, but the driver who remains unidentified avoided the checkpoint and made a sudden U-turn and abandoned his motorcycle,” Encinas told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner by phone from his headquarters in Maguindanao, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.
Encinas said troops are in heightened alert and security is tight in the province because of the on-going military operation against the pro-ISIS group called Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
Troops have been battling BIFF forces in Maguindanao’s Sultan sa Barongis town since last week and had captured a camp, destroying bunkers and foxholes in the village of Tugal.
The military operation involved air and ground forces, backed by a battery of canons, against the BIFF under Salahudin Hassan, according to Major General Cirilito Sobejana, the division commander.
The offensives against pro-ISIS groups was ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte following the January 27 cathedral bombings in Sulu’s Jolo town by an Indonesian couple that had killed 23 people and left 95 others wounded. (Mindanao Examiner)
Major Arvin John Encinas, a spokesman for the 6th Infantry Division, said the man escaped and left his motorcycle upon seeing troops inspecting vehicles passing at the checkpoint.
He said the motorcycle was abandoned in front of a government school 100 meters away from the checkpoint and minutes later it burst into flames. He said the motorcycle was burned, but intact.
“We still do not know why the motorcycle caught fire. We are still investigating this incident, but the driver who remains unidentified avoided the checkpoint and made a sudden U-turn and abandoned his motorcycle,” Encinas told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner by phone from his headquarters in Maguindanao, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.
Encinas said troops are in heightened alert and security is tight in the province because of the on-going military operation against the pro-ISIS group called Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
Troops have been battling BIFF forces in Maguindanao’s Sultan sa Barongis town since last week and had captured a camp, destroying bunkers and foxholes in the village of Tugal.
The military operation involved air and ground forces, backed by a battery of canons, against the BIFF under Salahudin Hassan, according to Major General Cirilito Sobejana, the division commander.
The offensives against pro-ISIS groups was ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte following the January 27 cathedral bombings in Sulu’s Jolo town by an Indonesian couple that had killed 23 people and left 95 others wounded. (Mindanao Examiner)
Like Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindanaoexaminer
Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindanaoExamine
Read And Share Our News: https://www.mindanaoexaminer.com
Mirror Site: https://mindanaoexaminernewspaper.blogspot.com
Digital Archives: https://issuu.com/mindanaoexaminernewspaper
See Media Rates: https://mindanaoexaminer.com/ad-rates
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
