News agency Amaq run by the Islamic State (IS) on Wednesday released online a video footage showing its local counterparts in war-ravaged Marawi City collecting weapons and ammunition from government casualties.
“Killed Philippine Army and seized weapons and ammunition by the IS fighters in the city of Marawi,” Amaq said in Arabic on the video footage uploaded on various online storage and social media websites.
Ads by Datawrkz The terrorists, apparently from the Maute Group that besieged the city on May 23, were seen in the video piling looted high-powered firearms and ammunition with explosives inside a dark room.
It was not immediately known whether authorities have viewed the one-minute and 17 seconds video clip showing government troops killed by a bomb. The authorities also did not comment on the video.
The footage was likely filmed during clashes on July 22, the day when government officials and members of the media voices suspicion that a “suicide car bomb” was used against soldiers hunting down the Maute terrorists who attacked the city more than two months ago.
The terrorists were heard speaking the Maranao dialect, saying the government troops were hit by a booby trap while going inside a building where they were holed in.
“Here near at the door, it shattered on them,” one of them said.
A long knot, suspected to be a trigger for a bomb, was also seen in the clip.
The terrorists were also earlier reported to have been collecting dud bombs from military airstrikes and artillery mortars before gunbattles reached their third month. The fighting in Marawi City is still raging at press time.
The military said the terrorists were still holed up in the remaining two villages about a square kilometre in Marawi City with hundreds of hostages.
Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) early this week engaged members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in prolonged clashes after a faction of the BIFF, a local supporter of the Islamic State (IS), tried to enter Shariff Saydona Mustapha town here.
Sources said the terrorists were on their way to attack a Philippine Army unit when they were blocked by the MILF members in the village of Pusao on Tuesday afternoon.
The clashes ended on Wednesday morning and left at least two wounded on the MILF side and six reported killed among the BIFF extremists.
Arvin Encinas, spokesman for the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division, confirmed the clashes and identified the wounded MILF fighters as Kamsa Karinda and Naim Musiko, both belonging to the 118th Base Command of the terrorist group.
He said the military has provided medical assistance to the wounded MILF members “who sacrifice their lives against the bandits as they showed their commitment of support in the ongoing peace process with the government”.
The gunmen were led by Esmail Abdulmalik alias Abu Turaify, a senior member who had bolted the BIFF, with several others including Basir Ungab alias Abu Bagdad, Abdulnasser Adil alias Abu Tahir, Ansari Yunos and Salahuddin Hassan.
They engaged the MILF troops headed by Abdul Karim Sinumagad and Hadjie Ali Omar of the 105th Base Command.
Encinas said the MILF apparently had been tipped off on the entry of the terrorists.
“The Army has provided artillery support to flush out the enemy,” he told The Manila Times.
“Co-ordination and co-operation between the Joint Task Force Central, Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces [BIAF], MILF and other stakeholders in the continuing law enforcement support operation of the government against the BIFF resulted in the firefights,” Encinas said.
Meanwhile, Major General Arnel dela Vega, the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, expressed full support to the wounded personnel of BIAF, an armed wing of the MILF, who needed medical assistance.
Three years ago, the BIFF pledged allegiance to the IS after being convinced by the Khilafah Islamiyah Movement (KIM) to do so but the group has since split into three factions including Abdulmalik’s group, which kept its loyalty to the Islamic State.
Another faction led by Ismael Abubakar alias Bungos, together with their recognised spokesman Abu Misry Mama, and the forces of Muhidden Animbang alias Karialan with his spokesman Abu Amer, claimed last year to have severed allegiance to the IS.
The BIFF, an offshoot of the MILF, was organised in 2008. It opposes the ongoing peace process between the MILF and the government.
Last June, the group attacked two villages in Pigcawayan town in North Cotabato including schools and churches that are owned up by the Abubakar faction.
Just this week, the bandits also attacked a helicopter carrying Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu and his brother while flying over Datu Salibo town in the province but no one was hurt.
Local residents blamed the faction of Abdulmalik for the attack.