The military on Tuesday claimed to have killed 20 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters after Army troopers struck back at the militants and captured a rebel camp in Maguindanao Monday.
Captain Jo-Ann Petinglay, Public Affairs Officer of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division said that 20 BIFF rebels were believed killed during several hours of fighting in Sitio Pedtad, Brgy Midpandacan, S.K. Pendatun, Maguindanao that started at about 5 a.m.
Citing civilians who witnessed the clashes, the Army said the BIFF rebels carried their dead while retreating rebels.
“The supposed casualties were seen being carried by the rebels as they retreated toward Kabasalan town in Pikit, North Cotabato,” Petinglay said pointing out that “they could not confirm the exact number of casualties because they were already buried.”
Petinglay said there was no casualty on the government side.
The fighting erupted after Army troops launched counter offensives against the BIFF, two days after the rebels attacked two Army detachments of the 33rd Infantry Battalion last Jan 3.
Petinglay said “the casualties dealt a big blow to the BIFF.” The rebel positions were bombed to prevent some 200 fully armed rebels from advancing.
The rebel camp, Petinglay said has about 50 huts with barricades, running trenches, concrete posts and overhead bunkers. Also found in the area were Improvised Explosive Device (IED) sketches and components which are believed to be used for bomb making.
At present, the BIFF camp was placed under the control of Army troops from the 6th Infantry Division while the next phase of the pursuit operations against was being mapped out.