MANILA, March 14 - At least 20 terrorists, including two leaders of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and a Singaporean bomber, were killed in bombardment and a ground assault on a BIFF lair in the Philippine province of Maguindanao, the military said on Tuesday.
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Major General Cirilito Sobejana said remnants of the BIFF are still resisting government troops aiming to occupy a terrorist camp in the area.
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Among those reported killed were BIFF leaders Salahudin Hassan and a certain Commander Bastardo and Singaporean bomber Muhamad Ali Abdul Rahiman, alias Mauwiyah, Philippines news website ABS-CBN reported.
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On Monday morning, military aircraft and howitzers bombed the BIFF lair, where about 120 BIFF men were consolidating and planning attacks.
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The bombardment was followed by a ground assault, leading to skirmishes.
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"We are still validating the figure but some of them are high-value targets or high-value individuals," ABS-CBN quoted Maj Gen Sobejana as saying.
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He said one soldier was killed and seven others were wounded in the attack.
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Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the wife and son of a suspected militant Islamist blew themselves up in their home on the island of Sumatra early yesterday.
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They killed themselves after hours of tense negotiations with counter-terrorism officers, authorities said.
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Reuters reported that police and bomb squad officers had surrounded the house in Sibolga, North Sumatra, after arresting her husband a day earlier over his suspected links to a planned attack on a local police headquarters.
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The wife and child had remained in the house.
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"Police, religious figures and relatives of the suspect were negotiating with the suspects and asked them to surrender but they still stayed inside," said national police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo.
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During a stand-off lasting nearly 12 hours, the wife allegedly threw an explosive device at the security forces, wounding a police officer and a civilian.
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"At 1.25am the wife of the terrorist and their son blew themselves up inside the house," Mr Prasetyo said, adding the force of the explosion sent debris flying at least a block away.
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Police found about 30kg of explosives at the site, according to media reports. They did not give the age of the son.
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Authorities believe the husband is part of Jemaah Ansharut Daulah, the largest Islamic State in Iraq and Syria-linked group in the country.
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It was disbanded last year for "conducting terrorism" and affiliating itself with the foreign militant organisation.
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Credit: The New Paper – 14 March 2019
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