ALL-OUT. Military ground troops aided by Semba tanks inch their way forward to pinpointed lairs of the extremist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao. (6ID file photo)
SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao – Ongoing clashes between military forces and the Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) have displaced more than 30,000 residents in Maguindanao’s seven adjoining municipalities.
The provincial social welfare office has documented 6,059 families or 30,295 internally displaced persons (IDP) from 22 villages in the towns of Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Mamasapano, Datu Salibo, Shariff Aguak, Datu Saudi, Datu Unsay, Datu Piang, all in Maguindanao’s second district.
Hadja Emma Ali, provincial social welfare chief, said two civilians were injured when hit by shrapnel after mortars landed near their homes.
Ali said the Datu Piang and Datu Unsay local government units have already extended aid to the displaced families.
"Many of the displaced families are house-based or those staying in their relatives’ homes,” she said.
The military claimed more than 20 terrorists have been killed in surgical ground and air assaults against the BIFF in the marshland of Datu Shariff Saydona Mustapha since Monday.
A soldier was killed and 11 others were hurt when ground troops clashed with fleeing BIFF following helicopter attacks.
Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the commander of the 6th Infantry Division, said among the fatalities whose remains were recovered by local officials and 40th Infantry Battalion was that of a foreign-looking man, believed to be an Arab who had been providing bomb-making training to local militants.
Sobejana said the operation will continue as long as the terrorist threat remains and as long as the BIFF is not expelled in the area.
Other military units in the area not directly involved in the operations are helping relief agencies in extending aid to affected families, he added. (PNA)
