Officials said the security forces assaulted the encampment of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in the village of Midpandakan in General SK Pendatun town and captured the base used by rebels under Sukarno Sapal as springboard to attack military posts in the province.
“Meron kaming natanggap na reports from our commanders na 20 ang nasawi sa BIFF at this is a big blow on the part of the terror group as they lost is considered one of their main encampments,” Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, a spokeswoman for the 6th Infantry Division, told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
There were no reports of military casualties, according to Petinglay.
She said the campaign against BIFF started over the weekend and is continuing in Maguindanao, a known stronghold of the rebel group which broke away with the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front that a signed a peace accord with Manila last year.
She said Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, ordered an intensified operation against the BIFF.
“The 6th Infantry Division and the local police force are seriously running after this terrorist group. We assure the public the government will never falter and will continue to look after the welfare of the civilians,” Pangilinan was quoted as saying.
Colonel Melquiadez Feliciano, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade, said the captured camp was also being used by the BIFF as its training base. He said troops fired more than a dozen cannon rounds to the base. He said the rebels were also behind recent attacks in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces.
There was no immediate statement from the separatist rebel group, but it previously warned of more attacks in the troubled region. (Mindanao Examiner – Mark Navales and Rose Muneza)
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