MANILA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Philippine soldiers clashed with suspected terrorists in the southern Maguindanao province early on Wednesday morning, leaving four dead, an army officer said.
Major General Juvymax Uy, the commanding general of the army's sixth infantry division in central Mindanao, said the fighting broke out around 5:00 a.m. local time between the army forces and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) gunmen on the outskirts of Datu Paglas town.
Uy said the terrorists were among those who stormed the public market of Datu Paglas town on Saturday morning that triggered a gunfight with the troops.
Uy said the terrorists withdrew, prompting the military to launch a pursuit operation.
The BIFF, composed of around 200 men, is blamed for bombings and other atrocities in the Central Mindanao region in the southern Philippines. Enditem