Army rains BIFF with rockets, mortars in Maguindanao
BANGSAMORO NEWS UPDATES • 01:19 AM Fri Mar 9, 2018
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By:
Ferdinandh Cabrera
Soldiers prepare mortars intended for lawless armed group in Maguindanao military operations. (FC)
DATU SAUDI
AMPATUAN, Maguindanao – Government forces launched early today air and
ground assaults against IS inspired Moro rebel group in Maguindanao sighted
massing in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town.
The day-long
bombardment also sent hundreds of families fleeing from the villages of Kitango
and Lower Salbu.
Scenes were
reminiscent of the Marawi Siege when military hardware, tanks and soldiers
moving toward the village of Kitango and Lower Salbu while civilians with their
valuables at hand moving on opposite direction away from battle front.
As artillery
fire from 81 mm mortar and 105 howitzers were delivered at the break of dawn,
helicopter gunships kept firing rockets toward the location of a certain
Commander Peni of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) Karialan faction.
Sporadic
exchange of bullets ensued at about noon today.
Information
from the military was limited as fighting continues.
Movement of military
hardware and government forces out to reinforce ground troops was briefly
halted after a suspected roadside bomb along the Barangay Crossing Salbu-Barangay
Kitango highway was found. It was later
deactivated.
Major Gen.
Arnel dela Vega, 6th Infantry Division commander and head of Task
Force Central, said ground troops are verifying reports that six BIFF were
killed in the clashes. No reported casualty
on government side.
A resident
said the villagers were awakened by rapid fire as early as 5 a.m. Thursday.
A woman said
she was worried about the safety of her cows and water buffalos left behind
when they hurriedly fled.
I hope the
soldiers will allow us to return to rescue our work animals, she said.
(Ferdinandh Cabrera)