Tuesday, August 26, 2008 Troops capture 2 MILF satellite camps By Bong Garcia
GOVERNMENT security forces have captured two satellite camps of a faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels that attacked and occupied last week four Lanao del Norte towns, a top military official said Monday.
A rebel leader identified as Ismail Desumalong alias Commander Ultimax, commander of the MILF's 7th Brigade under the 102nd Base Command, was killed in the series of clashes.
Lieutenant General Nelson Allaga, chief of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the advancing troops captured the two rebel camps following intense clashes Sunday inside Camp Bilal of the MILF.
Camp Bilal is described as complex with series of satellite camps stretching 20 kilometers along a road corridor where Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo, who led the attack in four Lanao del Norte towns, seeks refuge along the adjoining mountainous terrain.
Allaga said the series of fighting started early Sunday when maneuvering troops from the Army's 35th Infantry Battalion clashed with around 40 fully armed MILF members in Nunungan village, Poona Piagapo town in Lanao del Norte.
The rebel group, which Allaga said is believed to be Commander Bravo's advance guard, is positioned in four layers of defensive position that was cleared by the government troops backed by artillery fires and close air support from Air Force helicopter gunship.
Allaga said it was followed by another intense firefight when troops from the Army's 10th Infantry Battalion clashed with another rebel group, also in Nunungan village, Poona Piagapo that lasted four more than an hour.
He said advancing troops from the Army's 43rd Infantry Battalion clashed with undetermined number of MILF rebels around 11 a.m. also in Nunungan village as the battle rages.
The series of clashes have resulted to the death of two soldiers and two injured, while 16 rebels were killed including Commander Ultimax, according to Allaga.
He said the death of Commander Ultimax was confirmed "by our signal and human intelligence."
Allaga did not name the two fallen MILF camps except in saying these are located in Poona Piagapo and Matungao towns in Lanao del Norte province.
The series of fighting that took place Sunday was the first resistance met by the advancing troops since they entered and started scouring Camp Bilal.
Camp Bilal stretches to seven of the 22 towns and one city in Lanao del Norte province and is said to be the largest camp in the area.
Allaga said without elaboration that the troops have recovered "important things" from the two fallen rebel camps.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said Monday that they no longer maintain camps since they shifted to guerrilla tactics.
Kabalu described the two fallen camps as communities that have schools and other amenities.
"It is a civilian community wherein people live happy with their own culture and other customs being observed in the community," he added.
"Basically, the MILF don't have camps because they are anywhere in Mindanao," Kabalu said.
