AFP ends major offensive vs BIFF

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

Although it has failed to capture wanted Filipino terrorist and bomb-maker Basit Usman, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday announced it was ending its all-out military offensive against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

“We have achieved our objectives, including the neutralization of more than 50 percent of their ranks, the capture of bomb factories and the seizure of their enclaves or safe havens in different Maguindanao localities,” AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said Monday.

Since the start of the military offensive on Feb.  21,  151 BIFF rebels have been killed, 64 wounded and 12 captured.

In fresh fighting in Datu Unsay, Maguindanao, on Sunday,  23 Moro rebels, including three ranking BIFF leaders,  were killed. Four soldiers were killed in the clash, the Army said.

Catapang, however,  said the military would still pursue the BIFF rebels to their hideouts in small-scale operations.

Splintered

In a press briefing at Villamor Airbase, the Chief of Staff said the BIFF had “splintered into small groups” to evade pursuing troops.

But the military has yet to capture Usman, who was also the target of the ill-fated Jan. 25 Special Action Force (SAF) operation that took down Malaysian bombmaker Zulkifli Bin Hir, aka Marwan.