BIFF fighters harass CAFGU base in North Cotabato
COTABATO CITY (Feb. 19) –- The outlawed Bangsamoro
Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) have brought the war zone to the borders of
Maguindanao and North Cotabato, particularly in Aleosan town, police said.
Senior Inspector Jun Napat, Aleosan town police
chief, said the attack on para-military detachment in Barangay Pagangan,
Aleosan, North Cotabato at 10:30 p.m. could be a diversionary tactic by lawless
group now being pursued by government forces.
They attacked the detachment with rocket propelled
grenades and Barret sniper fires for about 10 minutes, then fled back to the
marshland,” Napat told reporters.
At 7 Friday morning, members of the Civilian Armed
Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) conducted clearing operations and found an improvised
bomb some 50 meters away from the detachment believed to have been left by the
armed men.
With its composition still unknown, Napat said a
two-way hand held radio was attached to it.
Army bomb experts are now defusing the IED.