4 soldiers are also killed in last Sunday's clashes
BREAKAWAY GROUP: File photo of BIFF fighters
MANILA, Philippines – A notorious commander of the
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) was among the rebels killed in a
series of clashes on Sunday, March 29, that also claimed the lives of 4
soldiers.
Yusoph
Abesalih, better known as "Commander
Bisaya," was killed in a Sunday morning firefight with
the Army's 34th Infantry Battalion in barangay Pamalian in Sharif Saydona town,
according to the military.
The military has yet to identify the 4 soldiers.
Commander Bisaya was involved in the deaths of elite
cops in Mamaspano on January 25. He was identified by the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front 105th Base Command as the leader of a group that supposedly
raided the location of the 55th Special Action Force Company in the cornfields
of barangay Tukanalipao after the MILF fighters were ordered to pull out
because of a ceasefire agreement.
Budding BIFF leader
He
was a budding leader of the
BIFF. In his mid-20s, the
young and aggressive BIFF lieutenant, said to be close to BIFF founding leader
Ameril Umbra Kato, has led many clashes against the military in Maguindanao.
"He
had been involved in almost all the recent skirmishes before and during the
conduct of all-out offensives," said Captain Jo-An Pentingly, spokesperson
of the Maguindanao-based Army 6th Infantry Division.
Petinglay
said the slain BIFF commander was also responsible for the death of an Army
major last year.
Armed
Forces chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr announced on Monday, March 30, the end of the all-out offensive against the BIFF. Military
presence in Maguindanao and neighboring Cotabato will continue, however, to
keep the BIFF from returning and to implement socio-economic projects approved
by Malacañang.
The
BIFF is a breakaway group of the dominant Muslim group Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF), which is finalizing a peace deal with the government. Kato used
to head the MILF 105th Base Command.
The
peace process, however, was derailed by lawmakers' distrust with the MILF
following the bloody January 25 police operation in an MILF territory in
Maguindanao.
The
police Special Action Force (SAF) planned a stealth operation to get
international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir or "Marwan," who was
believed to be protected by the BIFF. They got him but the extraction plan failed.
The two SAF groups were pinned down, pintakasi-style (free-for-all), by the many armed groups in Mamasapano including
the MILF and the BIFF. A total of 67 Filipinos,
including 44 elite cops, were killed in the bloodiest operation in the history
of the Philippine National Police.
After
the tragedy, the military launched an all-out offensive to drive away the BIFF in the area. The operations that will involve establishing
military presence in areas they have not penetrated before. It also includes infrastructure development projects that will be
carried out by soldiers.
The
firefight that started around 9am on Sunday in Barangay Pamalian lasted until
afternoon when another BIFF leader known as "Commander Karialan" and
about 70 of his men were engaged by the troops, too.
Aside from Commander Bisaya, the military claimed 2
other BIFF members were killed and 12 others were wounded.
The military said it won't release the names of the
4 soldiers until they've informed their families.
The military said they also seized an enemy position
another town, barangay Malangog in Datu Unsay town, after an early morning
firefight between the 6th Scout Ranger Company and the BIFF unit led by a
certain Commander Bungos.
Source +Rappler
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