12 dead, 16k displaced as military goes after ISIS-inspired groups in Bangsamoro

COTABATO CITY - Twelve people died in clashes between the military and ISIS-inspired groups in the Bangsamoro region since Monday.

Of the fatalities, three are government soldiers, eight are from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and one from the Maute group.

Major General Cirilito Sobejana, commander of Joint Task Force Central Mindanao, said a clash between government troops and the BIFF started in Barangay Inaladan in the municipality of Shariff Saydona Mustapha and moved toward other areas where the BIFF has a presence.

Sobejana said one soldier from the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division was killed, and another one was wounded during the assault.

He also said six of the victims from the BIFF side were identified: a certain Kumander Pegka, Karim Binua, Munir Madsal, Gani Lanti, Bukari Samad, and Sanday Musib.

Sobejana said they are still getting the names of the two other fatalities from the BIFF side.

The BIFF victims were hit as military troops used fighter jets, attack helicopters and howitzers to bombard the location of Shiek Esmael Abdulmalik also known as Abu Torayfie.

Air and ground assault continued on Tuesday in several barangays in Maguindanao following a whole day of intense firefight on Monday.

Sobejana advised residents to stay inside evacuation centers.

"We assure the public that surgical operation is targeting only the encampments of ISIS-inspired groups of BIFF," he said.

Bangsamoro Region Minister of Social Services Raisa Jajurie said 3,295 families or around 16,000 individuals were monitored staying in camps in Shariff Saidona, Shariff Aguak and Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.

This number does not include displaced residents who evacuated from the towns of Datu Saudi Ampatuan and Datu Piang.

Civil society local nongovernment organizations have been assisting the evacuees since Monday night.

"We were so concerned for others who have not evacuated last night from their homes as military imposed closure of road connecting Datu Piang and Datu Saudi towns," said Noraida Abo, head of the NGO Uniphyl-Women.

Since Monday night, military troops have been receiving information of roadside bombing attacks and reinforcement attacks of their other detachments as the enemy side suffered heavy casualties.

Abu Amir, spokesman of the BIFF under the Karialan faction, said they were just forced to fight back after seeing military troops intruding in their communities in Barangay Libutan.

“We are not attacking them as we are just observing ‘wait and see’ of the newly installed Bangsamoro region but we have to fight back once attacked,” he said.

The military, however, claimed that the BIFF initiated urban assassination killings last week that claimed the lives of five members of their personnel from Cotabato City and Maguindanao ambuscades.

Lanao del Sur

Meanwhile, in Lanao del Sur, firefight between the military and members of the ISIS-Maute group led by Abu Dar erupted at 4 p.m. on Monday in Barangay Calaludan in the municipality of Pagayawan.

Brigadier General  Romeo Brawner Jr. of the 103rd Brigade of the Philippine Army confirmed that two soldiers from the 55th Infantry Battalion and one rebel from the Maute group were killed in the operation.

The clashes in Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao against ISIS-allied rebel groups in the two-week-old Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are ongoing as of posting time.

A regional peace and order council meeting (RPOC) to be led by new BARMM Chief Minister Ebrahim Murad will be held on Tuesday to discuss regional peace and security. —KG, GMA News