By Priam F. Nepomuceno / Philippines News Agency
AT least 47 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and their allies were reported killed and wounded, while five homemade guns and numerous components were seized during a three-day operation in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.
The offensive against the BIFF started on March 13 and ended on the 16th, Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command spokesman, said in a statement on Sunday.
The series of military operations, which included artillery and air strikes, was conducted by troopers from Joint Task Force-Central (JTF-C).
Brig. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, JTF-C commander, said an initial 21 BIFF bandits were killed and another 26 were wounded in the operations.
No casualties were reported on the government side.
In addition, the troops recovered five homemade bombs, four pressure-type and one command detonated, and numerous bomb components in Barangay Tee of the same town.
Dela Vega said the three-day offensive was designed to dislocate forces under Muhammad Ali Bin Abdulrahman, alias Muawiyah, allegedly a foreign terrorist; Salahuddin Hassan, a bomber trained by the latter; and Esmael Abdulmalik, alias Abu Toraype, the Dawlah Islamiyah Maguindanao founder and a BIFF brigade commander. Persistent reports that these terrorists were killed in the attack are still being validated.