3 BIFF slain in continuing Army offensives vs. Dawlah Islamiyah in Maguindanao

COTABATO CITY - Three members of the Dawlah Islamiyah were torched after military surgical artillery offensives directly hit them in Barangay Pusao, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao Tuesday, the Army said today.

Major Arvin Encinas, spokesperson of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said that troops of the Joint Task Force Central launched surgical operation against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) under Kumander Bungos faction as the main target.

Several explosives and firearms were recovered in a continuing offensive against local terror group after combat clearing operation conducted by combined troops of the 601st Infantry Brigade including the 33rd Infantry Battalion, 12th Special Forces Company and 5th Special Forces Company.

Earlier, troops of the 57th Infantry Battalion conducted combat clearing operation in Barangay Pamalian, Shariff Saydona that led to the recovery of thee M-16 rifles, three Improvised Explosive Devices and six improvised hand grenades.

Brig. Gen. Jose Narciso, 601st Infantry Brigade, commander said the Army ground operating units had difficulty dealing with the terrorist ho’s battalions in-charge in the operation narrates the difficulty in operation as rigged IED’s were planted to ambush his troops, however they managed to seized all these via strategic means to pin down and outsmart enemies.

“This all started in our Mamasapano campaign last week until we reached today in Datu Piang town, threats of activated IED’s is enormous as some were found to have been phone ringing while attached to the improvised bombs when our men are close to their locations,” Narciso narrated.

But aside from Bungos, groups of the Dawlah Islamiyah Maguindanao, a local ISIS group led by Abu Toraife, an ally of the BIFF is the target of operation, Narciso added.

The military used three simultaneous strategies in trying to neutralize the Moro rebel group.

Narciso recognized the help of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Liguasan Marsh whose forces served as blocking forces that contributed to the success of the operation.

After clearing and securing the area, operating troops coordinated with the barangay officials of Pusao led by Kagawad Abo Kalim to identify the recovered bodies and subsequently facilitate the proper burial of the slain BIFF fighters.

"These recoveries connote operational success while our troops on the ground build up their focused military operations to hunt and pound the remaining terrorists in Central Mindanao,” said Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Western Mindanao Command.

"Rest assured that Western Mindanao Command remains committed to provide a safe and secured environment to all communities under our area of operation," Lt. Gen. Sobejana added.