Maguindanao IEDs hurt soldier

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – A soldier was slightly injured when an improvised bomb was set off by suspected Moro militants along the national highway in Datu Hofer, Maguidanao Monday morning.Major Arvin John Encinas, speaking for the 6thInfantry Division, said the blast that hurt a soldier was the second improvised bomb set off by suspected members of IS linked armed group using mobile phones as triggering device.Citing field reports, Encinas said an IED exploded beside the highway in Barangay Labu-Labu 2, Datu Hofer town at about 6 a.m. Nobody was hurt in the first blast.Soldiers from the 57thInfantry Battalion proceeded to the blast site to conduct post blast investigation but another IED exploded in the vicinity that slightly injured a soldier.Encinas said the wounded infantry man was rushed to the Maguindanao Integrated Provincial Hospital.The incident also forced police to shut down portions of the highway between Ampatuan, Maguindanao to Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat while post blast investigation was going on.Traffic was reopened at about 7 a.m.No one has claimed responsibility for the twin bombing but the Army believed the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) were behind the attack.Police and military authorities said the IEDs have the trademarks of BIFF and similar to other IEDs set off in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato.