The military says it foiled an attempt of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters to occupy the town hall of Datu Paglas town after a 9-hour operation that included air strikes on Tuesday, July 3

MANILA, Philippines – Clashes between government troops and the separatist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) reached a town center in Maguindanao on Tuesday, July 3, as the military continues aggressive operations to hunt down groups linked with the Islamic State (ISIS). - Philippine soldiers backed by armoured vehicles have retaken a southern town held for 12 hours by pro-Islamic State (IS) militants, the army said on July 4.Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Cabunoc, commander of the army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion, said troops pursued militants from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) group, who retreated to the hills after trying to occupy the town of Datu Paglas in Maguindanao province.He added that the military will continue to “disrupt the BIFF's plan to sow terror into communities” in the south.The clashes followed warnings by President Rodrigo Duterte that remnants of pro-Islamic State militant groups had been still recruiting and planning attacks on several southern cities to set up an independent and separate Islamic state.Two weeks ago, the Philippine army launched offensives against BIFF in Liguasan Marsh in North Cotabato and Maguindanao on Midanao Island, southern Philippines.BIFF is a splinter group of the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front and has up to 400 members. “A total of 13 (BIFF militants) are killed, while on the government side, 14 were wounded and two were killed during encounters,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Gerry Besana, a spokesman for Western Mindanao Command.
Philippine soldiers clash with militants from the ISIL-affiliated Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), in the southern province of Maguindanao. The fighting began when BIFF militants attempted to occupy a town center, and lasted for 12 hours until the BIFF militants withdrew to the hills. Four militants were killed, while two militants, a Philippine soldier and a local militiaman were wounded.