Mohagher Iqbal FILE PHOTO
KUALA LUMPUR—Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal on Saturday said his group also suffered heavy casualties in the bloody encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
In a joint press conference with the government peace panel here, Iqbal said 18 MILF fighters died or were “martyred.” Another 14 were injured.
“I am very hopeful that as soon as the truth would come out the MILF would be vindicated and I think we are doing everything including this press conference so that we would approach the problem on a very objective manner,” Iqbal said.
He also appealed to the public, “especially to members of the media… not to fan the emotions of hatred and prejudices.”
“The Bangsamoro people have also suffered a lot in the conflict in Mindanao, as a result of several massacres in the various parts of the Bangsamoro,” Iqbal said.
“The encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao was not intended by either side. It was a pure and simple misencounter. The operation was intended by the BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighteres) which is coddling Marwan and Basit Usman,” Iqbal added.
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