The Army's 45th infantry battalion has sent peacekeeping team to a remote town following a clash involving armed followers of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), officials said.
The infighting within the MILF ranks triggered mass evacuation of about 100 families, according to Raja Buayan town Mayor Zamsamin Ampatuan.
He said the fighting was between two families who happened to belong to the MILF's 105th base command.
Ampatuan said the clash which began Wednesday and was on-going sporadically was triggered by the murder of one of the members of MILF by another MILF member.
“We could only appeal to the MILF leadership to immediately intervene as both are heavily armed," Ampatuan said. "We are attending to the needs of displaced families,” he added.
Von Al Haq, speaking for the MILF, said an emissary had been sent to Rajah Buayan to pacify the warring families who are both members of the 105th base command.
According to Ampatuan, an unidentified member of the MILF was shot dead in nearby Mamasapano town, also in Maguindanao.
“The relatives of the slain MILF member wanted to avenge his death, thus the skirmishes,” he said, adding that the fighting was on and off.
“We pity our civilians who have no recourse but to flee to safer areas,” he added.
The Army's 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade has already sent peacekeeping force in Raja Buayan to secure the civilians.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=598590
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