Philippine fighting ends, but peace process under threat

Several days of fighting between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) ended on 13 August with the peace process between the government and the separatist group in serious jeopardy.

The UN also warned of an "unfolding humanitarian crisis", with 160,000 civilians having fled their homes in central Mindanao to escape the fighting. The World Food Programme said on 13 August that it planned to supply enough rice to feed 96,000 people for a month in the North Cotabato area.

MILF fighters had seized 15 villages around North Cotabato after the establishment of a new autonomous Muslim 'state within a state' called the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity - which the government had been due to sign up to formally on 6 August - was blocked by the country's supreme court amid fears it could precipitate the break-up of the Philippines.

IMAGE: Philippine Army soldiers board a C-130 transport aircraft at Villamor airbase in Manila on their way to Mindanao to give support to government forces fighting the MILF (PA Photos) 148 of 285 words