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Casualties in troops-BIFF clash climb to 9
By Alexis Romero (philstar.com) | Updated July 31, 2013 - 6:55pm
Casualties in troops-BIFF clash climb to 9 | Nation, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
Govt forces repel Moro rebel attack in North Cotabato
By Edwin O. Fernandez
Edwin O. Fernandez
3:36 pm | Thursday, August 1st, 2013
Gov
By Alexis Romero (philstar.com) | Updated July 31, 2013 - 6:55pm
Casualties in troops-BIFF clash climb to 9 | Nation, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines - A female civilian was among those who were killed during the encounter between the military and rogue Moro rebels in Maguindanao last Tuesday.
Army reports said a certain Baikong Mohammad Mala was killed in the crossfire during the clash between state forces and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town.
Mala is the ninth fatality of the gun battle, which also left eight members of the BIFF dead.
Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Armys 6th division, said police investigations had revealed that the bullet that hit the victim came from the side of the rebels.
The local government and the Army are now providing assistance to the victim's family.
Hermoso said the situation in Maguindanao has returned to normal save for the floods caused by heavy rains.
Nation ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Perhaps they (BIFF) are resting and are licking their wounds. But they may attack again in a few days, he said.
The military has deployed additional troops to secure the national roads, vital installations and civilian communities in the area.
The Office of Civil Defense - Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the firefight displaced an undetermined number of residents in Guindulungan town. Local disaster management offices are still assessing the extent of damage and losses due to the incident.
Eight BIFF members were killed in a clash with state forces last Tuesday after the rebels tried to seize a cargo truck and petroleum tanker in Guindulungan
A certain Edgardo Gamalo, the driver of the tanker, was hurt during the hour-long encounter.
The rebels reportedly blocked a part of the Cotabato-General Santos Highway going through Guindulungan and planted improvised explosive devices along the road.
Authorities said the explosives were meant to pressure businessmen who refuse to give in to the BIFFs extortion demands.
Security forces are now conducting pursuit operations against the rebels.
The BIFF broke away from the MILF due to differences over the peace talks with the government.
The BIFF has criticized the MILF leadership for supposedly abandoning its original stance of independence. Officials said the BIFFs recent activities were attempts to sabotage the peace talks.
Govt forces repel Moro rebel attack in North Cotabato
By Edwin O. Fernandez
Edwin O. Fernandez
3:36 pm | Thursday, August 1st, 2013
Gov
KIDAPAWAN CITY, North CotabatoMoro rebels attacked a government-backed militia detachment in Midsayap, North Cotabato, on Wednesday but withdrew when Army soldiers and police arrived to reinforce the beleaguered militiamen who had engaged the rebels in an hour-long firefight.
Midsayap police chief Superintendent Reynante de los Reyes said a 50-strong band of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters attacked the militia detachment in Barangay (village) Baliki with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades but the outnumbered militiamen fought back and exchanged fire with the attackers for about an hour until the Army soldiers and police arrived past 9 p.m.
No casualties were reported on either side.
Barangay Baliki is the last village of Midsayap before the municipality of Datu Piang in Maguindanao. Datu Piang and Midsayap are separated by the Rio Grande de Mindanao, which the rebels used in attacking farmers in Barangay Baliki.
As members of the Midsayap PNP and elements of the Armys 40th Infantry Battalion arrived in Barangay Baliki, the BIFF rebels fled aboard motorboats and crossed toward Datu Piang.
It was the second such attack on Barangay Baliki by members of the BIFF since Monday, when they fired on militiamen and farmers but withdrew quickly when government forces arrived.
In last Mondays attack, as the rebels fled Barangay Baliki, they stormed Barangay Polomoguin, also in Midsayap, killing one farmer and taking away eight carabaos and two motorbikes from farmers.
The rebels also left one improvised explosive device.
Abu Misry Mama, speaking for the BIFF, a breakaway faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, admitted their group was involved in the Barangay Baliki attacks which he said were in retaliation for alleged harassment by militiamen.
The Midsayap incident came a day after more than 100 BIFF forces fired on a fuel tanker and harassed an Army camp in Datu Piang, triggering a battle in which eight BIFF guerrillas were reportedly killed.
The fighting forced the Army to shut down portions of the Cotabato-Isulan highway as soldiers cleared the roadside of bombs left by the armed men.
Delos Reyes urged people living between the towns of Midsayap and Datu Piang to remain vigilant. He urged them to quickly inform the police about the presence of armed men in the area to prevent a repeat of Mondays and Wednesdays attacks.
