The struggle for self-determination among the Moro National Liberation Front resulted to a violent skirmish with the government forces in September 2013 when it attempted to capture the city of Zamboanga in Region 9. More than a hundred thousand were displaced because of this incident that claimed the lives of around 200 persons including state actors and civilians. The Protection Cluster was immediately activated and rapid assessment team composed of various cluster partners was quickly deployed to the area to gauge the extent of damage and assisted the severely affected population. The cluster was able to preposition core relief items and quickly served the most vulnerable displaced population including minority groups. As of June 2015, almost two years since the conflict, there are still 28,000 persons out of the 120,000 total displaced population who remain displaced in transitional sites and with host families. Recovery and rehabilitation efforts remain at a standstill hampering the immediate return to normalcy among the displaced population. This incident is considered one of the longest running displacements in Mindanao caused by an armed conflict. The cluster system was deactivated in June 2015 but the presence of UN agencies including UNHCR continues in Zamboanga City and the advocacy on the safe and dignified return of the remaining displaced population continues.
