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| Southeast Asia |
| OIC warns Philippines over Daesh-inspired insurgents |
| 2016-03-05 |
| [AFP] Amid words of caution by a major Islamic organization that the Philippines could risk its relations with the Muslim world, insurgents fighting in the name of Daesh are escalating attacks in the southern Philippines. On February 28, Secretary-General Iyad Ameen Madani of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation met with Moro Islamic Liberation Front Chairman Alhaj Murad Ebrahim, to discuss what has become of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law, the outcome of peace efforts between the government and the MILF, and other related concerns. In a statement, the OIC said, "The Secretary General expressed his deep disappointment over the non-passage of the BBL which is a major step towards the final resolution of the Bangsamoro question. A failure of peace process could adversely affect the good relation existing between the Philippines and the Muslim world." Since the peace bid was stalled in Congress before the election break, gunmen who have pledged allegiance to Daesh have instigated a series of deadly clashes with the army. An assassination attempt this week on a visiting Saudi Arabian cleric who was on a Daesh hit list has further raised fears, although police said they had yet determined the gunman's motives. The MILF has pledged to honor a ceasefire while it waits for Aquino's successor to be elected soon. But hardline militants opposed to compromise have begun to take advantage of the vacuum. In the most spectacular attack, a previously obscure group discounted by the military as a small-time extortion racket launched an assault on a remote army outpost on Mindanao. That attack sparked a week of fighting that left six soldiers and at least 12 militants dead, and forced more than 30,000 people to flee their homes. The gunmen flew Daesh flags during the fighting, and bandanas with the group's insignia were found when soldiers overran their base. At the same time about 60 miles away, troops were battling a better known group that had previously declared allegiance to Daesh, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. That fighting, which began about a week after Congress missed another deadline to pass the autonomy legislation, has claimed the life of one soldier. The clashes continue. Video footage on Tuesday showed rockets being fired from an army helicopter, as well as troops in a cornfield firing mortars and carrying a injured solider on an improvised stretcher. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #1 The BIFF-ies are getting the Media blame, but in reality its not just them anymore. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2016-03-05 00:38 |