This site requires Javascript to be turned on. Please enable Javascript and reload the page.

Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement: A Policy Option

Coffins of SAF

epaselect epa04592365 Members of elite Police Special Action Force carry the remains of forty-two of their forty-four comrades from three C-130 military planes that arrived from southern Philippines at Villamor Air Base, south of Manila, Philippines, 29 January 2015. Fighting between police and Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines has left at least 50 people dead, a police report said. Police were trying to arrest two suspected Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists in the town of Mamasapano in Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila, when the clash erupted. The rebels belonged to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which signed a peace deal with the government in March, and to its breakaway faction the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which opposed the agreement. EPA/DENNIS M. SABANGAN

This page has paths:

Contents of this path:
2. KATO on small horse FILE - In this file photo taken Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011, Ameril Umbra Kato, the commander of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, rides a horse inside his rebel stronghold in Maguindanao province in southern Philippines. The commander whose rebels have pledged support to the Islamic State group died Tuesday following a long ailment, the Philippine military and insurgents said Wednesday, April 15, 2015. (AP Photo/Nickee Butlangan, File)
4. Coffins of SAF epaselect epa04592365 Members of elite Police Special Action Force carry the remains of forty-two of their forty-four comrades from three C-130 military planes that arrived from southern Philippines at Villamor Air Base, south of Manila, Philippines, 29 January 2015. Fighting between police and Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines has left at least 50 people dead, a police report said. Police were trying to arrest two suspected Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists in the town of Mamasapano in Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila, when the clash erupted. The rebels belonged to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which signed a peace deal with the government in March, and to its breakaway faction the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which opposed the agreement. EPA/DENNIS M. SABANGAN

This page is referenced by:

Typical Operation Military intelligence has produced reports indicating that Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM) forces have recently become increasingly active in the Maguindanao province. In response the Filipino Special Action Force (SAF) have deployed troops to the area for a series of actions including patrols and the controlling of major transportation routes. After the deployment of military forces the situation has seemed to have deescalated. However, without warning grenade is fired at a SAF truck while passing through a checkpoint outside of the city of Datu Piang. The explosion is quickly followed by small arms fire coming from at least five different assailants. In the ensuing firefight with military personnel, two of the assailants are killed as well as the civilian driver of the military truck. Several nearby civilians and one SAF soldier are also severely wounded during the assault. Though the government has quickly responded to the attack, criticisms have been made regarding subsequent actions by the government.
This scenario is an example of what a typical BIFM attack might look like. The majority of attacks are carried out within the groups own area of operation. The attacks, which usually involve explosives or small arms, are often meant to target uniformed military personnel who have been deployed to the southern region of the country. Attacks such as this pose a serious issue for the Filipino government when attempting to respond. As the actions of BIFM can often be considered body insurgent actions and terrorist actions, the is no consensus as to what strategy should be taken. There are different existing strategies for both counter-insurgency (COIN) and counter terrorism (CT), both of which feature differing tactical decisions as well as philosophical understandings of how a response should be framed. The following report will analyze the BIFM through their tactics, history and goals to better understand what kind of strategy should be implemented for the Filipino government to best deal with the threat of BIFM and similar groups within their borders.