Hanoi (VNA) - Philippine forces shot dead two terrorists carrying animprovised explosive device (IED) in the southern province of North Cotabato onAugust 8.
The two aboarda motorcycle attempted to transport the IED but were stopped at a militarycheckpoint for inspection, Philippine army spokesman Arvin Encinas said.
They attempted to run away when the troops approached to check them, he said,adding one of them shot the troops. This prompted the troops to shoot back,killing the two people on the spot.
The troopsfound a pistol and an IED inside a paper bag from the two, who were believed tobe members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Encinas further said.
The BIFF, establishedin 2010 by former MILF commander Ameril Umbra Kato, is among the armed groupsin Mindanao that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria afew years ago.
According to the Philippine government and military, there are up to 400 BIFFterrorists operating in the southern Philippines.-VNA
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