Bangsamoro chief to military: It’s not terrorists’ haven but MILF territory

DAVAO CITY — The head of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said Wednesday that the area being targeted by the military in their air assault in Maguing, Lanao del Sur, is not a “haven of terrorists” but a territory of the MILF.

Bangsamoro Interim Chief Minister Ahod “Murad” Ebrahim, chair of the MILF who signed a peace deal with the government that eventually led to the setting up of the expanded autonomous region in Mindanao, issued a statement saying that the position targeted by the government for aerial bombardment that started at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, March 2, was MILF territory, hence covered by the agreement between the government and the former rebel group.

Ebrahim, however, did not specify whether the three alleged members of the Islamic State-linked Daulah Islamiyah killed during the assault were MILF members.

“Our dear constituents in Maguing, Lanao del Sur have been troubled (by the) military airstrikes and most recently, the firefight that involved members of the military and forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front,” said Ebrahim in a statement. “As of this writing, the incident has claimed lives and has forced some of our constituents to flee their homes and find shelters in nearby areas,” he added.

Lanao del Sur map

Ebrahim’s statement came after the military launched bomb runs on Tuesday to support the ground infantry offensive against what the military claimed were 60 Daulah Islamiyah members under Abu Zacharia in the village of Ilalag, Maguing town. Military officials have accused the local IS leader, also known as Jer Mimbantas, of leading attacks against government positions in Lanao towns.

The Daulah Islamiyah is the local name of the Islamic State, whose membership comprises fighters from several Filipino militant factions, including the Maute Group fighting out of Lanao.

But Ebrahim said the encounter that happened was between their forces and the military.

“We are now closely working with our partners from the local government, the security forces, and ministers on the ground to assist our internally displaced communities and assure that they get home safely as soon as possible,” Ebrahim said.

“The Bangsamoro government is also making sure that the ongoing ceasefire between the MILF and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will produce positive outcomes and provide permanent resolution to the conflict,” he added.

He did not say whether or not the MILF would file a protest over the military’s action and violations of ceasefire protocols but he said they were optimistic that there would no longer be any confrontation on the ground even as he urged to fully operationalize existing security mechanisms.

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