February 2016 Butig clash

The February 2016 Butig clash was an armed conflict that began on 20 February 2016 between the Philippine Army and a group of Moro insurgent sympathizers of ISIS and Jemaah Islamiyah led by the Maute group in Butig, Lanao del Sur, Philippines. Three Philippine Army soldiers were killed in action, 11 wounded, and 20 terrorists killed in the early phase of battle. 335 families fled to Marawi City and 657 families took refuge in Masiu.[5][6]

Background

The Butig clashes began when a supposed "foreign and local terrorist organization" (FLTO), led by the Maute brothers, harassed the 51st Infantry Battalion, which had been manning a patrol base in Barangay Bayabao on February 20, 2016.[6] Armored personnel carriers and troops were sent to Butig, while the military used two 520MG Defender helicopters to track down the armed men and conducted air strikes against them.[6]

A lull in the fighting occurred that evening, but resumed at dawn the next.[7] According to Armed Forces of the Philippines sources, the skirmishes between Army forces and the Maute group turned into a full blown military offensive with troops using artillery, gunships, and armored personnel carriers against the terrorists.[8]

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Office of Civil Defense stated that approximately 2000 individuals evacuated their homes to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.[9] According to Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, three soldiers were killed and six others were wounded in the sporadic firefights.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Army hoist PH flag in Butig after 10-day firefight
  2. ↑ 5 soldiers killed, 7 injured in Lanao clashes
  3. ↑ MILF using clashes to push draft law
  4. ↑ Gomez, Jim (1 March 2016). "Philippine assault seizes terrorist lair, kills 24 militants". The San Diego Tribune.
  5. ↑ "3 soldiers killed, 11 hurt in Lanao del Sur clash". philstar.com. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  6. 1 2 3 Umel, Richel. "Army reports killing 20 'terrorists' in clashes with Lanao Sur armed group". globalnation.inquirer.net. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  7. ↑ "Lanao del Sur clash kills 5, wounds 1". SunStar Cagayan de Oro. 21 Feb 2016. Retrieved 29 Feb 2016.
  8. ↑ "Terror ringleader killed in Lanao del Sur skirmish". Manila Bulletin. 24 Feb 2016. Retrieved 1 Mar 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Thousands displaced by ongoing firefight in Lanao del Sur". CNN Philippines. 23 Feb 2016. Retrieved 29 Feb 2016.
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