ISIS-linked terrorists kill 2 civilians and wounded 7 others in Mindanao

Members of a ISIS linked terror group that seceded from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) attacked a military detachment and a neighboring village in Maguindanao province in restive Mindanao, killing two civilians and wounding seven others, police reported on Monday.

Senior Superintendent Agustin Tello, the provincial police chief, said those killed were a civilian, 60, and his grandson, 13, in the attack that occurred in a “barangay” (village) in the town of Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.

Tello said the attack, launched by about 30 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) late on Sunday night, also wounded seven other civilians including four pre-school children.

He added the BIFF members used rocket propelled grenades and assault rifles in their attack on an Army detachment while another unit fired at will as several houses nearby.

The attackers tried but failed to overrun the military camp mainly due to stiff resistance from the soldiers in the gun battle that lasted for almost one hour, according to Tello.

He reported that as in their previous attacks, the BIFF members carried the black flag of the Daesh in the Middle East to whom they have pledged allegiance.

The BIFF was founded by the late veteran MILF field commander Ameril Umbra Kato who seceded with about 1,000 of his armed followers due to major policy differences with the front leaders over the conduct of their peace negotiations with the government.

Also in Mindanao, the military reported that another Daesh linked terror group the Abu Sayyaf released six Filipino hostages, including two minors, in the town of Patikul, Sulu.

Their release, the military said, came an hour after President Rodrigo “Rody”Duterte, accompanied by American actor and martial arts expert Steven Seagal visited the capital of Jolo, Sulu on Friday.

Earliier, the military condemned the abduction of six hostages, pointing out that they were poor and thus, could not afford to pay the huge ransom usually demanded by the Abu Sayyaf for their release.

With their release, the number hostages still being held by the Abu Sayyaf has been reduced to a total of 11, composed of four Filipinos and seven foreigners, according to the military.

Source: Gulf Today