THE military launched over the weekend air and ground operations in Maguindanao, killing 21 members of the terrorist group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and wounding 26 others, belated reports reaching Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City said on Sunday. Last week, 10 BIFF members and a foreign terrorist believed to be a leader of the Asian terror group Jema’ah Islamiyah were killed in Datu Salibo in Maguindanao. The BIFF members tried to escape but were met by blocking forces, according to Brig. Gen. Arnel de la Vega, commander of the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division and concurrent chief of the Joint Task Force Central. De la Vega said the jihadists were cohorts of Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan who was slain during the infamous Mamasapano massacre in January 2015.

Source: Manila Times March 19, 2017 13:30 UTC