Philippines: 12 terrorists killed hinh anh 1Twelve terrorists have been killed in clashes with Philippine government security forces, bringing the death toll of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) to 57 in the ongoing campaign in the southern Philippines that started on June 1. (Source: AFP/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - Twelve terrorists have been killed in clashes with Philippine government security forces, bringing the death toll of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) to 57 in the ongoing campaign in the southern Philippines that started on June 1.

According to the military, eight were killed during a clash on July 8 in villages of Shariff Saydona Mustapha town in Maguindanao province on central Mindanao. Four others were killed on the same day in a separate clash in another part of town.

There are up to 400 BIFF terrorists operating in central Mindanao.

BIFF members are mostly disgruntled former members of the larger insurgent group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which signed a peace accord with the government.

The BIFF, established in 2010 by a former MILF commander, is among the armed groups in Mindanao that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria a few years ago.-VNA
VNA