CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao –– Three government soldiers pursuing Islamic State-linked gunmen in Maguindanao province were hurt when an improvised bomb went off in Ampatuan town on Thursday, Sept. 24.
Major General Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the injured troops were part of the units pursuing members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
The blast happened around 7 a.m. in Saniag village of Ampatuan town where, two days earlier, soldiers overran a BIFF camp.
Medics immediately attended to the injured soldiers, who were later airlifted to Camp Siongco Station Hospital for treatment.
Uy said he had ordered the deployment of additional troops to cordon the area.
The recent explosion came a day after a farmer was killed in a blast from an improvised bomb in Gen. SK Pendatun town.
“Inflicting harm to our troops is the desperate device of the weakened terrorist groups to attract attention and harbor support,” said Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command.