COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 22 April)—Wanted by the authorities for several years, the top leader of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters-Karialan Faction (BIFF-KF), Mohiden Animbang alias Kagui Karialan, and 11 of his followers were killed in a fierce battle in the municipality of Datu Saudi Ampatuan in Maguindanao del Sur Monday morning, the military said.
Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, commander of the 6th Infantry “Kampilan” Division and of the Joint Task Force-Central, said in a phone interview Monday evening that they have been receiving several confirmatory reports that among those killed in the encounter was Kumander Kagui Karialan.
Rillera said that he even got confirmation from Mayor Edris A. Sindatok of Datu Saudi Ampatuan.
Also killed in the operation led by Brig. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, was Saga Animbang, Mohiden’s brother and operation chief ng BIFF-KF, said a press statement from the 6ID’s Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO).
Rillera said that they had been conducting relentless operations against the Karialan Faction, whom the general claimed has allied with and pledged loyalty to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group.
He added that the BIFF-KF has been a headache for officials and residents of the municipality. “The town has been the centerpoint of atrocities for several years because of [Karialan]. We hope this time stability and peace will be felt in the area,” Rillera added.
He said that several days ago they managed to follow the trails of the elusive terror leader and his men but could not immediately execute the pursuit operation because they didn’t want to cross the territories controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“We don’t want to be tagged as peace spoilers, so we waited until they came out of their hiding place and we managed to corner them in Barangay Kitango,” he said in the phone interview.
The firefight, Rillera said, lasted the whole day, starting 6 a.m. until late afternoon.
“Initially we sent choppers to intensify our efforts, but later on I decided to pull them out. We don’t want to use excessive force,” he said.
Rillera said they took 13 high-powered firearms from the slain BIFF members. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)
