23 BIFF members killed in ongoing offensive in Maguindanao

MANILA, Philippines—Government forces killed 23 more Moro rebels in the ongoing offensives against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao.

This means there are 96 fighters killed from the operations since last month, Armed Forces spokesperson Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said.

The intense fighting occurred in the boundaries of Datu Salibo and Datu Piang and in Brgy. Pusao, Shariff Saydona Mustapha.

Based on military estimates, there are about 300 BIFF rebels, which means they have already decimated one-third of the group, Cabunoc said.

“Out of more or less 300, if we deduct 100, with more or less 200 (left), it means one third (have been decimated),” said Cabunoc in Filipino. “Pahina na ng pahina ang kanilang hanay sa series of encounters.”

Only four of the 96 have body counts, but Cabunoc said their figures are validated.

“Meron kaming procedures sa pag-validate,” Cabunoc said, adding he can’t reveal the validation procedure of the Armed Forces.

On the government side, six soldiers were killed in total from the fighting after two Marines died on Tuesday. There were also 21 wounded.

The all-out military offensives started last month to stop the fighting between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the BIFF, and at the same time to arrest known bomb maker Basit Usman who escaped a police operation on Jan. 25.

The fighting also displaced at least 60,000 persons in Central Mindanao.