THREE members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters died Monday during a military bombardment of their lair in Shariff Saydona Mustapha town in Maguindanao.
The remains of the still unidentified BIFF men were retrieved on Tuesday afternoon by troops during a clearing operation, said Maj. Arvin Encinas, spokesman of the AFP Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City.
Encinas said the lair in Barangay Pusao, which was made of light materials, was destroyed after the military subjected it to a “surgical operation, utilizing air and artillery assets.”
Troops from the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion and 5th Special Forces Battalion who conducted the clearing operation also recovered a 5.56 K2 assault rifle and a cal. 45 pistol.
Encinas said the troops coordinated with barangay officials in identifying the recovered bodies and for their burial.
Also on Monday, troops recovered three M16 rifle, three improvised bombs and six improvised grenades in a combat operation in Barangay Pamalian, also in Shariff Saydona Mustapha town.
