Clan feuds, violent extremism, illegal drugs and weapons use hamper Bangsamoro’s road to peace
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 26) – Clan feuds, violent extremism, illegal drugs and weapons are the three main roadblocks to Bangsamoro’s transition into a peaceful region, a group monitoring subnational conflicts in the country said on Monday.
In its 2020 Bangsamoro Conflict Report, International Alert Philippines said a total of 2,655 violent conflict incidents occurred in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi in 2019. These five provinces comprise the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Clan feuds, fueled by personal and political grudges and land conflict, involved former combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). In 2019, thirteen clan feuds involved MILF-affiliated factions and caused the displacement of thousands.