12 militants killed in clash with MILF

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines — Guerillas of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front killed 12 militants in a three-hour gunfight in Salibo town in Maguindanao on Friday.

Five members of the MILF under its Task Force Ittihad, Mahmod Laguiab, Darix Kendag, Kuzak Ali, Anwar Maulana and Kalidin Ulama, were killed in hostilities with the group of Esmael Abdulmalik at Barangay Tee in Salibo town. 

Abdulmalik is leader of a breakaway group in the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. The militant group boasts of allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

Abdulmalik is a former henchman of slain Malaysian terrorist Zulikifli bin Hir, most known as Marwan.

The encounter erupted when Task Force Ittihad members were attacked by BIFF gunmen while on their way to check on the reported sighting of Abdulmalik and four other wanted terrorists, Salahudin Hassan, Bashir Ungab, Nasser Adil and Ansari Yunos at the border of Barangays Sambulawan and Butilen in Salibo.

Abdulmalik and his four companions, all trained by Marwan in fabrication of improvised explosive devices, were blamed for all roadside bombings in Maguindanao province in the past 12 months.

Senior Superintendent Agustin Tello, Maguindanao provincial police director, confirmed that the MILF suffered five fatalities in Friday’s incident as reported by personnel of the Salibo municipal police office.

Tello said four MILF members, Batinti Sabidra, Kunyang Guiama, Nasir Talib and Gerry Bukah, were wounded in the ensuing encounter, which erupted at past 5:00 a.m. Friday and waned three hours later.

Local officials in Maguindanao’s neighboring Salibo, Datu Saudi, Datu Piang and Sharif Saidona towns said 12 followers of Abdulmalik were killed by MILF forces.

The BIFF fatalities were initially identified only as Salik, Noboh, Amir, Sanged, Mohaimin, Sulah, Tatoh, Pagal, Arsad, Dindih, Musib and Awal.

Barangay residents said Noboh and Awal were killed when a B-40 anti-tank rocket fired by an MILF guerilla from a distance landed near them.

More than 10 MILF members have been killed in encounters with Abdulmalik and his followers since late July.

Five of them perished in a powerful landmine blast while chasing Abdulmalik and his men in a swampy area at the border of Datu Salibo and Datu Piang towns two weeks ago.

One of the victims stepped on a trip wire attached to the detonator of the landmine laid by BIFF bandits, setting off the explosive.

Captain Arvin Encinas, public affairs officer of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said their units are guarding against possible BIFF retaliations on innocent civilians to avenge the deaths of more than 20 members killed in skirmishes with MILF guerillas since last month.

The MILF is helping Malacañang fight violent religious extremists in Maguindanao in keeping with its two peace compacts with the government — the Oct. 15, 2013 Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro and the March 27, 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro.

The MILF and the government are also bound by a 1997 security pact, the Agreement on General Cessation of Hostilities, to help each other maintain law and order in conflict-flashpoint areas in Mindanao.