At least 14 homemade bombs are recovered in abandoned camps in Maguindanao marshland by government troops pursuing members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO (from the 6th ID)
CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – The military’s ongoing surgical operations against Dawla Islamiya terrorist group in Maguindanao recently led to the recovery of 14 powerful homemade explosive devices here and foiled bombing plots in Central Mindanao, a ranking military official said.
Major Gen. Diosdado Carreon, commander of the 6th Infantry Division and chief of Joint Task Force Central (JTFC), said IEDs, high-powered firearms and bomb-making equipment found in different camps of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Shariff Saydona Mustapha town showed the group could be plotting fresh attacks in Maguindanao and nearby provinces.
The latest discovery in Barangay Pamalian, Shariff Saydona included high powered armalite rifles with ammunition, improvised bombs made of a hand grenade attached to a live 81 mm mortar and ingredients in making IEDs.
“The series of IEDs found and recovered by our JTF Central troops will not stop them from pursuing those terror groups who have scampered to different areas of Maguindanao,” Carreon said.
According to military intelligence, the BIFF has been plotting to distribute these powerful bombs along Maguindanao roads regularly used by the military and in populated areas of Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces.
“These terrorists are using IEDs that pose grave dangers to our troops in a desperate attempt to overpower our soldiers,” said Carreon.
He added the military would continue doing its mandate to protect the people.
At least 11 BIFF have been killed since the operation was launched late last month. Three soldiers also perished during the operation.
No civilian casualty has been reported but more than 15,000 individuals have been displaced by the conflict.
Of those displaced, more than 11,500 are now housed in evacuation sites in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, where they have been given relief assistance by the local government, according to municipal executive secretary Anwar Kuit Emblawa.