20 terrorists, including Singaporean bomb expert, reported killed in Maguindanao military operation

March 12, 2019

Almost 20 terrorists, including a Singaporean bomb expert and two Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF) leaders, were reported killed because of the ongoing fighting in Maguindanao where the military has said it has partial control' over the bandits' stronghold.

“We have some reports that some of those who got killed in yesterday's encounter until midnight last night, has reached to almost 20,” Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the  6th Infantry Division said Tuesday.

The military's bombardment against around 120 BIFF members in the area of Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao started around 5:50 am Monday.

“We are still validating the figure and some of them are high value targets or high value individuals, meaning commanders and sub-commanders, that include Salahudin Hassan, Mauwiyah and Commander Bastardo,” he stated.

“A lot (of terrorists) were injured, in fact earlier we have monitored the movement of wounded with two fatalities, maybe they will buried them following their rituals,” he added.

Sobejana said Abu Toraype, leader of a BIFF faction, was at the encounter site but he failed to confirm if he is among the fatalities.

“Toraype... is there but we could not confirm or deny if he died or not, but in due time, because we mobilized our contacts on the ground to confirm if they were really killed,” he said.

Sobejana added that aside from one soldier killed the number of wounded troops also rose to seven.

He said the military has  have partial control of the stronghold of the bandits.

“We are partially in control of the area, of their stronghold,” Sobejana said. Sobejana said the bandits who run towards different direction still have “pocket of resistance”.

“We are now occupying some of the areas that they had control before. Now our objective is to control the whole area. That is why we expect for more resistance in the next few minutes, few hours and few days,” he added.

Sobejana said the military is conducting aerial and ground bombardment against the terrorists.

“We are now occupying or moving our forces towards the areas with the objective to occupy the whole area they used to control,” he said.

“We have indirect fire, mortar, and we also delivered rockets from our Air Force, planes,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS