BIFF harasses Army bases in Maguindanao on New Year's Eve
Local News • 22:50 PM Fri Jan 1, 2015
724
By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
CAM SIONGCO,
Maguindanao – Government forces on New Year’s Eve repulsed three
attempts by outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) to over-run military
detachments in Maguindanao, the Army here said today.
Capt. Joann
Petinglay, speaking for the 6th Infantry Division, said the first
attempt to capture Army detachments of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion
in Datu Piang, Maguindanao at 6 p.m. Thursday by firing a series of rifle
grenades.
Alert soldiers
quickly returned fire againts about 10 BIFF fighters sighted near the Army
detachment, forcing the attackers to retreat toward the marshland.
Three hours later,
about 30 BIFF members attacked another detachment, this time the 34th
Infantry Battalion outpost in Barangay Timbangan, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.
Alert infantrymen
engaged the attackers in a 20 minute fire fight which led to the failure of
BIFF’s attempt to get closer. The fled under cover of darkness to the
hinterlands.
Petinglay said in a
report that at past 10 p.m., another band of 40 BIFF fighters attacked the
detachment of 40th Infantry Battalion in Shariff Saydona,
Maguindanao. Shariff Saydona, Datu Piang and Shariff Aguak are adjoining Maguindanaon towns known as BIFF bailiwick.Like in other Army
base subjected to harassment by the BIFF, soldiers immediately returned fire
forcing the attacks to retreat.
No casualty on the
government side,” she said in a radio interview. There were reports from the communities that
the BIFF had injured companions but the report is still subject to Army
validation,” she added.
Following the
December 24 attacks by the BIFF in Kauran, Ampatuan, Maguindanao and nearby
areas that left nine civilian fatalities, soldiers under the 6th ID have been placed on heightened
alert.
Abu Misri Mama, BIFF
spokesperson, admitted his group carried out the attacks.
Petinglay said all
Army units remained on alert.