2 soldiers killed in hospital attack in Maguindanao

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MANILA – Two soldiers were killed by members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) when they attacked a hospital in Datu Hofer town on Wednesday night.

At around 9 p.m., the bandits entered Maguindanao Provincial Hospital pretending to be visitors. They immediately disarmed the soldiers guarding the entrance and took away their firearms.

Spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division Col. Dickson Hermoso confirmed the incident, but refused to identify the slain soldiers saying that they need to identify the victims’ families first.

Earlier, BIFF killed three off-duty soldiers in separate attacks in Datu Piang town.

No one from the hospital staff and patients were harmed during the attack.

Regional police director of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Chief Superintendent Noel delos Reyes said that they are now doing investigations to identify the suspects.

He said that the attack could be a possible retaliation for the arrest of wanted guerrilla ordance expert Abi Salman on Tuesday.

Salman was cornered by ARMM policeman and Army operatives in his safe house in Barangay Tuka, five kilometers away from the hospital. He is wanted for his deadly bombings in Central Mindanao. He is also the nephew of bomber Usman who is allegedly connected with the BIFF.