Filipino terrorist group threatens more attacks against govt forces
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters say attacks in retaliation to Philippine military's offensives.
SABAH (Malaysia): A Filipino terrorist group has threatened more attacks against government forces as it claimed last Sunday’s (Mar. 17) ambush that killed four soldiers in the southern Philippine province of Maguindanao del Sur, it has been reported.
The Karialan faction of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) terror group on Monday (Mar. 18) said it went on offensive mode in response to relentless military operations even after the start of Ramadan, Rappler reported.
The faction’s spokesman named as Abu Supyan said they launched the recent attacks against the military as retaliation, the news site said, citing an interview between the militant and local broadcaster Brigada News FM.
These attacks included Sunday’s ambush, said Supyan in a rare claim of attacks made by a Filipino terror group to a news organisation.
The ambush killed four soldiers identified as privates Marvin Dumaging, Jessie James Corpuz, Private 1st Class Carl Araña, and Corporal Creszaldy Espartero, all members of the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion.
Supyan also claimed a raid on Saturday night (Mar. 16) on a military patrol base in Pagatin, in Datu Salibo town, where an ensuing firefight wounded two soldiers.
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“He said the BIFF attacks were in retaliation to persistent military offensives such as a raid in Sitio Tatapan, Kitango village in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao del Sur, that killed a sibling of BIFF leader Kagi Karialan. He identified the fatalities as Karialan’s brother Abdul Kader Animbang and his nephew, Hamidi Animbang,” Rappler reported.
“It’s our turn now to be on the offensive,” Supyan was quoted as saying.
Supyan said their leader, Karialan, had ordered his followers to stop attacks on government troops a month ago as they prepared for Ramadan, but later rescinded that order after the military’s Saudi Ampatuan offensive.
“Civilians must take precautions and avoid being caught in the crossfire,” Supyan was quoted as saying.
In another report, Supyan said the BIFF faction’s sibling was a civilian, not a combatant, and that they had been previously been “peacefully hiding”.
“We have been silent but they (Army) have been carrying out raids [against us]. Even the elder brother of Commander Kagi Karialan, who is a civilian, was killed [in these raids],” Inquirer quoted him as saying.
“We are not bad people, we are not extorting from civilians, we are also mujahideen (warriors) and we are guided by Jihad Fi Sabilillah (striving or fighting in the path of Allah).”
Supyan also confirmed to Inquirer that the Karialan and Bungos factions of the BIFF met in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan town by “coincidence, so we combined forces (to attack the soldiers).”
Earlier, a police chief said the pro-Islamic State Hassan Group and the BIFF jointly carried out Sunday’s fatal ambush without saying which BIFF faction was involved.
Apparently, after Supyan’s claim, it was the Karialan faction, a faction which has been reported as not aligned with the Islamic State.
However, Supyan’s statement raised the question whether the Karialan faction has now embraced the Islamic State’s ideology like the other two BIFF factions, the Bungos and Turaifie factions.
The BIFF was founded in 2010 by Ameril Umbra Kato as a splinter group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
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MY TAKE
Supyan’s statement seems to me attempting to serve these purposes:
To show that they’re bigger now now that they, the different terror groups, have merged.
To deny the military’s assertion that there’s a leadership vacuum among the terrorists. Supyan said Kagi Karialan is his faction’s leader. There must be leaders for the other groups also. Combined, there are several leaders that may well make the Shura Council or Consultative Council announced recently.