A government militia assist villagers who fled their homes in the Philippine provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat following attacks by Islamist groups. (Photo by Ferdinandh Cabrera)
Some 4,000 villagers in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao spent the New Year in evacuation centers after Islamic militants launched coordinated attacks starting Christmas Day, killing at least seven people.
The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), who recently declared allegiance with the group calling itself the Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the attacks in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces on Dec. 24.
On New Year's Eve, the BIFF attacked government military installations in the towns of Shariff Aguak, Shariff Saydona, and Datu Piang. No casualties were reported, but authorities said "the threat is real."
Mayor Helen Latog of Esperanza town said about 1,000 people living in hinterland villages have to be evacuated every night to the town center. "In the morning they go back to their farms," Latog told ucanews.com.
Pope Francis condemned the attacks in a telegram sent to Cardinal Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato on Dec. 28.
"The Holy Father was deeply saddened to learn of the senseless killing of innocent people in Mindanao, and he sends condolences to the families of those who lost their lives," read the message signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State.
"His Holiness prays that security and safety will be established for all people in the region, so that dialogue, tolerance and peace may enable each person to live free from fear," it added.
Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu of Maguindanao condemned the attacks. "How could they sleep in peace with what they did?" he said, adding that the attack was "pure banditry and terrorism" not a Muslim-Christian conflict.
"There is no land conflict here. These BIFF rogues just wanted to sow terror," said Mangudadatu as he appealed to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to help the government in going after the attackers.
The MILF, which has been engaged in peace negotiations with the government, said they were helpless. The BIFF broke away from the MILF after the latter entered into a peace deal with the Philippine government.
"Our hands are tied here. We have no mandate or authority to run after them unless we are now part of the government," said Jabib Guaibar, the MILF's representative in Maguindanao.
Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the Army's 6th Division, recommended the deployment of additional troops in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat.
"There is no let up in running against these BIFF rebels. We will provide more troops to areas where civilians are prone to attacks," he said.
