IDP Protection Assessment Report | Armed Conflict and Protracted Displacement in Central Mindanao (AFP and MILF vs JMWA and BIFF) | Issue no. 01
Armed confrontations, between the combined forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (MILF-BIAF) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against the Jamaatul Muhajirin Wal Ansar (JMWA), has been ongoing since April 2017. This has caused the displacement of families originating from the area known as the SPMS (Barangay Salbu, Datu Saudi Ampatuan – Barangay Pagatin, Datu Salibu – Mamasapano – Shariff Aguak) Box in the province of Maguindanao, and has escalated to different municipalities of Maguindanao and North Cotabato. These recent incidents contribute to the overall pattern of recurring displacement and heightened vulnerability of conflict-affected communities in Central Mindanao.
The JMWA is a splinter group of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), formed under the leadership of Sheikh Esmail Abdulmalik, aka “Abu Turaifie.” The group publicly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State movement in April 2017, and has reportedly been recruiting new members in the towns of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Salibu, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Mamasapano, and Datu Piang in Maguindanao province.
As part of the BIFF main group, JMWA members had already been actively engaging the AFP in combat as early as August 2011, when the BIFF launched its first major attack against the AFP in 11 municipalities. The BIFF has since been in conflict with government forces in numerous municipalities within Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat. It has since splintered into different factions, one of which, the Karialan Group, also started to engage in combat with the AFP as a distinct group on 27 July 2016 in Barangay Pamalian, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao. Another faction, the Abunawas Group, still recognizes the leadership of the main group but carries out tactical operations separately, notably on 22 June 2017, when it attacked Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) outposts in Barangays Malagakit and Simsiman in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato. The AFP continually launches offensives against each of these factions, as well as against the main group and the JMWA.
The MILF-BIAF’s Task Force Ittihad, officially launched operations against JMWA on 02 August 2017 in the vicinity of Datu Salibu, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, and Datu Piang municipalities.
The AFP then joined forces with the MILF-BIAF on 03 September 2017 when a series of airstrikes was launched against JMWA positions, and troops from the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion reinforced BIAF combatants in Brgy. Tee, Datu Salibo.
