KORONADAL CITY – Suspected pro-Islamic State militants detonated a landmine in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province on Friday, leaving four government troops wounded, a military official said.
Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Central, said soldiers were on a road and mine-clearing operations when an anti-personnel mine planted by suspected Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) exploded.
Uy said the incident left two soldiers and two members of the Civilian Active Auxiliary wounded.
“They were immediately evacuated by the responding team to the nearest hospital,” he said.
“I call on the peace-loving people to please pray for the safety of our soldiers as they continue to clear and secure the communities to thwart the hostile plans of the lawless group,” Uy appealed.
The BIFF is a breakaway faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), at one time the country’s leading separatist group, which signed a peace pact with the government in 2014.
The BIFF is also one of several groups in Mindanao that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.