Off the wire
• Legal construction of PX projects should continue: environmental minister  • Roundup: Kashmir separatists pessimistic on resumption of India-Pakistan talks  • Yao Ming, big guy with brains  • China vows not to relocate polluting plants to development-crazed west  • Chinese female lawmakers oppose domestic violence  • 1st LD: Unidentified militants kidnap 32 people in Baghdad  • Developed countries urged to take lead in climate change actions  • China faces unprecedented environment, development conflict: minister  • Minister urges open information in pollution control  • Urgent: Unidentified militants kidnap 32 people in Baghdad  
You are here: 　 Home

Seven BIFF members killed, 13 others injured in S.Philippine skirmishes

Xinhua, March 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

At least seven members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) were killed and 13 others injured during skirmishes with government troops that broke out Friday afternoon in Maguindanao, local authorities said Saturday.

On the government side, 13 soldiers were injured in the fighting, according to Harold Cabunoc, public affairs office chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The fighting broke out at the quad-bundaries of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Talayan, Datu Salibo and Datu Piang towns, all in Maguindanao around 2:50 p.m. local time Friday, said AFP spokesman Joselito Kakilala.

"(The) firefight ended until early dawn today," said Kakilala on Saturday.

AFP chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang ordered an all-out offensive against the BIFF on Feb. 25 in response to the group's atrocities in Maguindanao and North Cotabato.

The BIFF is composed of about 300 to 500 former leaders and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that signed a peace accord with the government in March last year. Endi