Ampatuan town (outlined in red) in Maguindanao (Image from Google Maps)
AMPATUAN, Maguindanao — A 3-year-old child was killed on being hit by stray bullets as two Moro rebel factions clashed over a land dispute here, the Army said Monday.
Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, the spokesperson of the Army-led anti-crime Task Force Central, said the on-and-off clashes started Friday afternoon continued until Sunday evening.
The child was identified as Asraf Maguindap, a resident of Barangay Buluan.
According to Besana, the dispute involved two factions of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) – one faction under commanders Mauti Sangki and Yacob Sangki and the other coming from the 106th Base Command of the MILF under Datu Itim Ampatuan.
Besana said four members of the warring groups were also reportedly killed during the sporadic skirmishes.
“Land dispute and territorial conflict,” Besana said when asked what triggered the hostilities, which also sent several residents fleeing to safer ground.
Besana said the group led by the Sangkis was reportedly being supported by Mama Simpal of the Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
He said the MILF leadership had already stepped in and brought the warring groups to a ceasefire on Monday. /atm