MANILA — Hundreds of troops have launched assaults on two strongholds of a breakaway Muslim militant group that attacked military camps in the southern Philippines this week. Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman says the military and police have strengthened security in public areas to prevent diversionary attacks from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, which has was being targeted by military air and ground offensives in Maguindanao province on Thursday. The rebel group broke off last year from the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which is involved in peace talks with the government brokered by Malaysia. The group attacked several military camps this week that led to fighting that killed eight people and displaced 25,000. Meanwhile, heavily armed men opened fire on an army patrol near Mindanao State University late Wednesday and attacked two nearby military outposts, killing three soldiers and a child in what appeared to be coordinated assaults, military officials said Thursday. About a dozen soldiers were traveling on a truck near the sprawling university in Marawi city when around 15 gunmen raked the patrolling troops with rifle fire. The soldiers returned fire and wounded several of the attackers, who fled after a 30-minute gunbattle, army Col. Daniel Lucero said. Three soldiers were killed and 10 others were wounded, two seriously, along with three passing motorists, he said. Other gunmen believed to be related to the attackers in the initial attack later fired at two nearby army detachments. — AP
