2 BIFF slain in Army offensive in Maguindanao

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao – Two members of Dawla Islamiya terrorist group were killed in an on going military law enforcement operations in Maguindanao, the Army here said.

Artillery fire could be loudly heard in Barangay Satan, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao as the Army’s 601^st Infantry Brigade fire mortars and howitzers toward positions of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in the marshland.

Colonel Jose Narciso, 601st Infantry “Unifier” Brigade, said the two unidentified slain BIFF members belonged to the group of Salahuddin Hassan, an ISIS (Daesh) inspired group operating in Central Mindanao.

The BIFF hurriedly left as soldiers advance to their location in Shariff Saydona Mustapha, leaving behind their dead comrades.

Ground troops found an improvised explosive device, an improvised Barret Sniper rifle and an M-14 riffle beside the slain rebels.

A soldier was killed and another was injured during the firefight Monday.

Clearing operation is underway as of posting.

“We will continue the momentum and sustain the gains of this operation in order to safeguard the civilians and put an end to the threat to the society,” Colonel Narciso said.

Meanwhile, the assassination of an Army corporal in Barangay Rebuken, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao was a diversionary tactic and retaliatory attack from the BIFF, according to Major Arvin Encinas, speaking for Western Mindanao Command.