Mindanao Armed Conflict

MAGUINDANAO --- Soldiers recovered more improvised explosive devices in another abandoned encampment of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Ampatuan town Friday.

The BIFF enclave, located in Sitio Talpok in Barangay Salman in Ampatuan, Maguindanao has makeshift shelters enough to accommodate no fewer than 50 members.

COTABATO CITY --- Soldiers found Tuesday a cadaver of an Indonesian seafarer kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf gunmen in the sea border of Tawi-Tawi and Sabah, Malaysia long ago.

Reports reaching the capitol of the Bangsamoro regional government here Thursday stated that the human remains were recovered by personnel of the Army’s 45^th Infantry Battalion somewhere in Barangay Maligay in Patikul town in Sulu.

Sulu is a component province of the Bangsamoro region.

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao  - Army troopers of Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) discovered an Anti-Personnel Mine (APM) factory as the government intensified its on-going combat clearing operation against the local terrorist groups (LTG) in Ampatuan town of Maguindanao at 12:00 noon on September 25, 2020.

Troops belonging to the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion found an APM factory containing various unexploded ordnance (UXO), war materials and documents in Sitio Talpok, Barangay Salman while pursuing the LTGs.

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – A novice private soldier was killed while two others were injured in an anti-personnel mine (APM) explosion in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan, Maguindanao at 7:15 in the morning early today.

Major General Juvymax Uy, Army's 6th Infantry Division commander, said that the troops of 57th IB led by 2nd Lt. Larry Panghunasan were conducting a combat clearing operations against suspected members of local terrorist group when one of them tripped on an APM that was fashioned out as a landmine.

CAMP Siongco, Maguindano - A civilian was injured in an explosion at Sitio Gantong, Barangay Tonggol in General Salipada K. Pendatun (GKSP), Maguindanao at early morning today, September 23, 2020.

Victim, identified as Mujahid Guialudin, was hit while tending his carabao in the rice field when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off.

A military progress report later today said Guialudin has died minutes after he was rushed to the Buluan District Hospital.

COTABATO CITY --- Authorities defused Saturday night in the Jolo wharf a rifle grenade packed with concrete nails and rigged with a blasting device that can be detonated from a distance.

Jolo is the capital town of the hostile Sulu province in the Bangsamoro region.

Reports received by the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in Camp SK Pendatun in Parang, Maguindanao said the IED was found by members of the Philippine Coast Guard while patrolling around the wharf.

MAGUINDANAO --- A Marine was killed while four others were injured late Friday when a bomb hit their vehicle while en route to a secluded area to reinforce Army troops fighting Dawlah Islamiya bandits.

The fatality, identified only as Private Angot, belonged to the Navy’s 5^th Marine Battalion under the 1^st Marine Brigade securing neighboring towns in the border of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur provinces.

COTABATO CITY --- A joint Army-police team killed Wednesday two New People’s Army guerillas carrying four home-made bombs they were to set off somewhere in South Cotabato province.

The slain siblings Jeoffrey and Amen Nilong were killed in an encounter with police personnel and members of the Army’s 5^th Special Forces Battalion in Barangay Lamsugod in Surallah, South Cotabato on Wednesday morning.

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – Two members of Dawlah Islamiyah terrorist group were neutralized by the troops of 5th Special Forces Battalion and PNP South Cotabato on September 9, 2020 in Barangay Lamsugod, Surallah, South Cotabato.

The two suspects were identified as Jeoffrey Nilong alias ‘Momoy’ and Al-Amen Nilong. “Jeoffrey Nilong’s group is responsible for the series of bombings in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat,” according to Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, JTF Central Commander.

COTABATO CITY --- The Catholic community in North Cotabato province appealed for an impartial probe on what seemed as a gangland-style execution of nine Moro motorists in Kabacan town Saturday.

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of the Diocese of Kidapawan covering Cotabato province said Tuesday he supports the call of central Mindanao sectors for an impartial investigation on the incident.