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Phillipine troops launch drive against BIFF militants
[Gulf Today] Philippine security forces launched ground and artillery attacks to dislodge members of the secessionist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters who have been occupying several villages in the neighboring provinces of North Cotabato and Maguindanao in Mindanao. The launch came amid reports that the military and the police wanted the BIFF to be declared a terrorist group.Captain Jo-Ann Petinglay confirmed clashes occurred between soldiers and BIFF members in a village in the Pikit, North Cotabato on Saturday morning. She said, "Sporadic firefight is still ongoing and there were no reported casualties on both sides." Mohagher Iqbal, the MILF's chief peace negotiator, said that it was not involved in the ongoing military operations adding, "The military co-ordinated with us the operation against the BIFF. Our forces are far from the site of fighting." Earlier, the military reported that members of the MILF and the BIFF engaged in several clashes that resulted in the killing of a front commander and at least six combatants. The clashes forced the evacuation of at least 15,000 people from several villages in Pikit and Pagalungan to avoid being caught in the crossfire. Posted by: ryuge 2015-02-22 |
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