On 3 July three soldiers were injured and four militants after a gunfight in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao. Later29 July nine BIFF members were killed after a gunfight which took place in Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao.The militants killed were all followers of Abu Toraife, whose real name is Abdulmalik Esmael, General of one of three factions in the BIFF. Days after the authorities found militants training suicide bombers in Southern Philippines.