Here We Go Again! AFP: 17 MORO REBELS KILLED IN MAGUINDANAO CLASHES

By Frances Mangosing

MANILA, Philippines – At least 17 rebels were killed in intermittent clashes between members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and government soldiers in Maguindanao on Monday, the military said.

Colonel Dickson Hermoso, Army’s 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, confirmed two body counts from the clashes while the 15 have yet to be verified.

“It’s hard to verify because there’s a swamp land in Datu Piang,” he

told INQUIRER.net.

The 15 bodies were reported to be “scattered” in the areas of encounters where the sporadic fighting took place. Other reports came from village officials.

The clashes came two days after the government signed a peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in a bid to end decades-long of insurgency in Mindanao. The BIFF is the breakaway group of the MILF.

Intermittent clashes went on throughout the day in Sharriff Saydona and Datu Piang. On Sunday, there were also reports of clashes in Barongis.

There were no reported casualties on the government side, Hermoso said.

The fighting has stopped as of 3 p.m.

The government forces were on law enforcement operations to serve warrant of arrest on BIFF members facing criminal charges.

Hermoso denied that the clashes were related to the recent peace deal.

The Mindanao Human Rights Action Center (Minhrac) reported that hundreds of residents fled from their houses and were sheltered at Poblacion in Datu Piang.

The Minhrac also reported of air strikes, to which Hermoso denied.

“That was for close air support,” Hermoso said, explaining that a close air support could have several reasons including medical evacuation, persuasion flights to intimidate the rebels, or indirect firing.

(Photo credit: Photo of Maguindanao army checkpoint downloaded from interaksyon.com)