COTABATO CITY—The Army launched a predawn strike at renegade Moro rebels with links to Islamic State (IS), who had been massing up at the border of Maguindanao and Cotabato provinces on Friday (April 23).
The Army said at least three members of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a group of Moro rebels who broke off with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and had linked up with IS, had been killed in the offensive but this could not be independently verified.
The attack started around 3 a.m. while the Muslim population in the area, who are observing the holy month of Ramadan, was preparing food and dawn prayers.
Lt. Col. John Paul Baldomar, speaking for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the artillery attacks were surgical, or precise, and preemptive.
Baldomar said the strikes aimed to prevent the local terrorists from launching an attack on civilian communities and nearby military installations like what happened on March 18 in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town.
The target of the artillery offensive was a village in Shariff Saydona Mustapha town, near the Ligawasan Marsh, where some 100 BIFF gunmen were seen gathering the previous night. The local population had given the information to the Army.
Baldomar said the Army has not monitored any evacuation by villagers so far.
TSB