25 February 2016•Update: 26 February 2016
By Hader Glang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
The Philippines' one-time largest Moro rebel group is repositioning more than 1000 of its fighters in the country's south to avoid "mis-encounters" with government forces battling Daesh-allied groups.
The presidential adviser on a peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said in a statement Thursday that all forces in the area of operations will be repositioned to allow the army the freedom to operate.
More than 30 members of MILF splinter group the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters have died in less than three weeks of clashes, and on Wednesday the army said it had cordoned off a suspected "new terrorist group” in the south after day-long clashes reportedly left around 20 militants and three soldiers dead.
On Feb. 10, both the government and MILF vowed to further strengthen mechanisms in their ongoing cease-fire after a MILF fighter and an army soldier died after the army pursued BIFF members into an area containing the MILF's 105th base command. The skirmish occurred just 12 months after a similar incident in the south's conflict-ridden Maguindanao, in which 44 commandos, 17 MILF members and five civilians were killed.
Carlos Sol, Jr., Head of the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), said in Thursday's statement that both sides had been working to avoid "mis-encounters".
"We repositioned the MILF from their communities to three repositioning sites,” he added.
Sol said that prior to the anti-BIFF operations that traversed through four southern villages, the MILF was asked to reposition a total of 1,737 soldiers from its 105th, 118th, and the Interim and National base commands -- also known as the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF).
Thursday's statement lauded the exercise as an "excellent example" of coordination between government and MILF forces.
"The MILF, on the other hand, has expressed its continued commitment in assisting the Philippine government in its pursuit of the BIFF," Sol added.
A member of MILF assigned to the CCCH who requested anonymity as he is not authorized to speak to the media said that even though the peace deal is still to be passed the partnership between the government and the MILF remains intact.
Sol said that the MILF has given its assurance that in the case of the operation widening, it would be willing and ready to reposition their forces elsewhere.
The ongoing army operation is near the so-called SPMS Box – Salbo, Pagatin, Mamasapano, Shariff Aguak– where around 6000 BIAF members and their families reside.
The BIFF, which is opposed to the ongoing peace talk between the government and the MILF, broke away from the MILF in 2011 due to differences with the MILF leadership in handling the peace negotiations.
The government and MILF have been close to signing off on the 17-year process, but stalling by Congress has led to many questioning if the deal to end a separatist conflict that has killed around 150,000 people will ever be signed.
It does not reconvene until June 30.
On Jan. 25, 2015, police commandos (SAF) descended on the remote town of Mamasapano in the south's conflict-ridden Maguindanao province to arrest two wanted militants.
The officers ran into the MILF and the BIFF, resulting in the deaths of the commandos, MILF and civilians.
The incident threatened to derail the peace process.
