COTABATO CITY – Hundreds of villagers fled their homes after two warring factions of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front – which signed a peace deal with Manila in 2014 – clashed on Thursday in southern Philippines.
The fighting stemmed from an old land dispute between the groups of MILF commanders Ricky Hussai and Mokamad Andoy in North Cotabato’s Pikit town. There was no immediate report of casualties from both sides and the military did not issue any statement on the violence that forced civilians to evacuate to safer areas.
Dozens of gunmen traded automatic gunfire in at least 3 villages in the town where followers of both commanders had been holed out. The two groups had been involved in many clashes in the past in Pikit town.
The MILF has failed to control warring factions within its ranks. In previous years, two groups of MILF leaders – Talio Macalpan and Kayob Pual – had fought over ancestral lands in South Cotabato; and so were other factions belonging to different commands in the region. (Mindanao Examiner)
Like Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindanaoexaminer
Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindanaoExamine
Read Our News on: http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com / http://mindanaoexaminernewspaper.blogspot.com/
Share The News
https://mindanaoexaminer.com/ad-rates
20
