DAVAO CITY — A Marine soldier was killed while another was wounded in a clash with Moro rebels in Maguindanao on Monday night.
A military source said a team of Marines was fired upon by a group of heavily armed rebels believed to be members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in the village of Tee in Datu Salibu town at around 7:30 p.m.
A fierce firefight ensued and lasted for hours, which led to the casualties on the government side.
Initial reports from the military claimed that the rebels also suffered casualties.
Abu Misri Mama, spokesperson of the BIFF, confirmed the encounter, saying that the rebel group would keep on attacking military units in the area.
The BIFF was created by former Moro Islamic Liberation Front commanders who left the organization after serious disagreements on the conduct of the peace negotiations with the Philippine government. SFM