DAVAO CITY, the Philippines, June 22 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people have been killed following an attack by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in a southern Philippine village on Wednesday, the Philippine military officials said on Thursday.
Government troops have retaken early Wednesday evening a school briefly held by BIFF more than 10 hours after the terrorists descended upon the farming village of Malagakit in Pigcawayan town, in Mindanao's North Cotabato province, Captain Nap Alcarioto, spokesperson of the army's 602nd InfantryBrigade, said.
A militiaman, a local farmer and six BIFF rebels were killed in the hours-long fighting, which saw the rebels seizing 31 residents from the two villages as human shields, according to Lieutenant Colonel Angelo Lutera, commander of an army battalion involved in the operations.
Ten people, most of them rebels, were also wounded, military and police said.
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