MANILA, June 21 (Reuters) - Pro-Islamic State militants stormed a town and occupied a school in the southern Philippines early on Wednesday, a police officer said, on the same island where fighting between government troops and Islamist militants has entered its fifth week. (4TH UPDATE) Members of the BIFF have occupied a primary school in Pigcawayan town and have taken hostages, says the military

MANILA, Philippines (4th UPDATE) – Members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) occupied a school and held hostages in North Cotabato's Pigcawayan town following clashes with government troops Wednesday morning, June 21. Police Chief Inspector Realan Mamon tells The Associated Press by telephone that gunmen belonging to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters raided the village of Malagakit in North Cotabato province at dawn Wednesday and engaged government forces in a firefight. “We can confirm that they occupied a school and there were civilians trapped,” Mamon said. Pigcawayan is 190 km (120 miles) south of Marawi City, where BIFF militants, along with fighters from other groups allied to the Islamic State group, have been holed up and fighting the Philippines military for more than a month.
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters rebels storm a school in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, Philippines, and take civilians hostage.