By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA CITY
Two Philippine soldiers were wounded Monday in a clash with some 30 gunmen from the breakaway Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) rebel group in the country’s Muslim south.
Army spokesperson Capt. Jo Ann Petinglay told The Anadolu Agency that two platoons were conducting security patrols in Shariff Saydona Mustapha town of Maguindanao province when a gun battle broke out at around 08.00 (02.00 Turkish time).
The platoons, consisting of 72 troops, were on patrol following reports that the BIFF were planting improvised explosive devices in the area.
"Additional reinforcements proceeded to the encounter site for pursuit operations,” Petinglay added, condemning any incidents that “might create fear and terror among innocent civilians”
An undetermined number of BIFF gunmen are believed to have also been wounded in the clash, said Petinglay, adding the guerrillas were headed by a certain "Bisaya" and one "Commander Sanad."
The BIFF is a breakaway faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, or MILF, which signed a March 27 peace deal with the Philippines government that BIFF leader Umbra Kato has since rejected.
It has about 1,000 armed followers, mostly rag-tag rebels who engage in extortion, kidnapping, robbery, and bombings in Mindanao -- the second largest and southernmost major island in the Philippines.
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