12 BIFF, 5 MILF men slain in Maguindanao

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines – At least 12 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and five Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas died in an encounter in Salibo town yesterday.
Police identified the slain MILF men as Mahmod Laguiab, Darix Kendag, Kuzak Ali, Anwar Maulana and Kalidin Ulama of Task Force Ittihad. They clashed with the group of Esmael Abdulmalik in Barangay Tee. Abdulmalik is reportedly a former henchman of slain Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan.
The fatalities from the BIFF side were known only by their aliases of Salik, Noboh, Amir, Sanged, Mohaimin, Sulah, Tatoh, Pagal, Arsad, Dindih, Musib and Awal.
The BIFF gunmen reportedly fired at MILF guerrillas who responded to reports that  Abdulmalik and four other suspected terrorists – Salahudin Hassan, Bashir Ungab, Nasser Adil and Ansari Yunos –  had been sighted at the border of Barangays Sambulawan and Butilen.
Senior Superintendent Agustin Tello, Maguindanao police director, said four other MILF guerrillas were wounded in the three-hour gunfight.
The MILF is helping the military in its anti-terrorism campaign in keeping with the agreements it signed with the government. Among the accords is the 1997 Agreement on General Cessation of Hostilities, which enjoins the two parties to cooperate in neutralizing terrorists and criminals in conflict-flashpoint areas.