Islamic Insurgency in the Philippines
Encyclopedia
The Islamic insurgency in the Philippines refers to conflicts between Jihadist
rebel groups and the Philippine government and its supporters. Although the rebel organizations themselves existed prior to the 1960s, the insurgency itself began on 1969.
and Moro Islamic Liberation Front
have emerged, with the conflict rooted in the early 1900s in the Moro Rebellion
. These groups are active primarily on the islands of Mindanao
, Palawan
and the Sulu Archipelago
and other neighbouring islands. These groups have been fighting since the 1960s.
In 2000, President
Joseph Ejercito Estrada declared an all-out war against the MILF
and after intense fighting, 43 minor camps, 13 major camps including the MILF headquarters, and Camp Abu Bakar fell. Hashim Salamat fled the country and sought refuge in Malaysia. On July 10, 2000, President Estrada raised the Philippine flag in Mindanao symbolizing victory. During 2001, the Dos palmas kidnappings occur headed by the Abu Sayyaf group and kidnapped several Americans, particularly Gracia and Martin Burnham. In a rescue mission staged by Philippine troops, Gracia Burnham was freed but Martin Burnham and another hostage died in the rescue attempt, as well as several Filipino soldiers and rebels. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo defended the action of her troops, stressing that "our soldiers did their best to ensure the hostages safety, and I salute them. However, the battle against Abu Sayyaf shall go on".
Islamist
groups such as the Abu Sayyaf
and Rajah Sulaiman movement, have been supported by groups outside the Philippines such as Jemaah Islamiyah
and Al Qaeda. Since 2001, the Philippine government and the United States have identified this insurgency as part of the War on Terrorism
and an American military operation called Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines
was established to support the Philippine government to combat the insurgency.
In January 2011 the Nordic state also joined the International Monitoring Team (IMT) overseeing the ceasefire agreement between the government and MILF on Mindanao
. However, there has still been some confrontations between the government and rebels. On 10 September 2011, Jal Idris, a hardcore member of Abu Sayyaf
, was arrested by government forces. In addition, government troops killed 3 Abu Sayyaf militants on the 11 September in a gun battle in Basilan Island that lasted 30 minutes.
Jihadism
Jihadism is a term to describe the renewed focus on armed jihad in radical Islamic fundamentalism....
rebel groups and the Philippine government and its supporters. Although the rebel organizations themselves existed prior to the 1960s, the insurgency itself began on 1969.
History
Between the 1960s and 1980s, separatist organizations such as the Moro National Liberation FrontMoro National Liberation Front
The Moro National Liberation Front is a political organization that was founded by Nur Misuari in 1969. The MNLF struggles against the Philippine Government to achieve independence of the Bangsamoro Land...
and Moro Islamic Liberation Front
Moro Islamic Liberation Front
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is an Islamist group located in the southern Philippines. It is one of two Islamic militant groups, the other being the Abu Sayyaf, that are fighting against Government of the Philippines...
have emerged, with the conflict rooted in the early 1900s in the Moro Rebellion
Moro Rebellion
The Moro Rebellion was an armed military conflict between Moro revolutionary groups in the Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan and the United States military which took place in the Philippines as early as between 1899 to 1913, following the Spanish-American War in 1898...
. These groups are active primarily on the islands of Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
, Palawan
Palawan
Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
and the Sulu Archipelago
Sulu Archipelago
The Sulu Archipelago is a chain of islands in the southwestern Philippines. This archipelago is considered to be part of the Moroland by the local rebel independence movement. This island group forms the northern limit of the Celebes Sea....
and other neighbouring islands. These groups have been fighting since the 1960s.
In 2000, President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Joseph Ejercito Estrada declared an all-out war against the MILF
Moro Islamic Liberation Front
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is an Islamist group located in the southern Philippines. It is one of two Islamic militant groups, the other being the Abu Sayyaf, that are fighting against Government of the Philippines...
and after intense fighting, 43 minor camps, 13 major camps including the MILF headquarters, and Camp Abu Bakar fell. Hashim Salamat fled the country and sought refuge in Malaysia. On July 10, 2000, President Estrada raised the Philippine flag in Mindanao symbolizing victory. During 2001, the Dos palmas kidnappings occur headed by the Abu Sayyaf group and kidnapped several Americans, particularly Gracia and Martin Burnham. In a rescue mission staged by Philippine troops, Gracia Burnham was freed but Martin Burnham and another hostage died in the rescue attempt, as well as several Filipino soldiers and rebels. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo defended the action of her troops, stressing that "our soldiers did their best to ensure the hostages safety, and I salute them. However, the battle against Abu Sayyaf shall go on".
Islamist
Islamism
Islamism also , lit., "Political Islam" is set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only a religion but also a political system. Islamism is a controversial term, and definitions of it sometimes vary...
groups such as the Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf also known as al-Harakat al-Islamiyya is one of several military Islamist separatist groups based in and around the southern Philippines, in Bangsamoro where for almost 30 years various Muslim groups have been engaged in an insurgency for an independent province in the country...
and Rajah Sulaiman movement, have been supported by groups outside the Philippines such as Jemaah Islamiyah
Jemaah Islamiyah
Jemaah Islamiah , is a Southeast Asian militant Islamic organization dedicated to the establishment of a Daulah Islamiyah in Southeast Asia incorporating Indonesia, Malaysia, the southern Philippines, Singapore and Brunei...
and Al Qaeda. Since 2001, the Philippine government and the United States have identified this insurgency as part of the War on Terrorism
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
and an American military operation called Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines
Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines
Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines or Operation Freedom Eagle is part of Operation Enduring Freedom and the U.S. Global War on Terrorism. About 600 U.S. military personnel are advising and assisting the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the Southern Philippines...
was established to support the Philippine government to combat the insurgency.
In January 2011 the Nordic state also joined the International Monitoring Team (IMT) overseeing the ceasefire agreement between the government and MILF on Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
. However, there has still been some confrontations between the government and rebels. On 10 September 2011, Jal Idris, a hardcore member of Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf also known as al-Harakat al-Islamiyya is one of several military Islamist separatist groups based in and around the southern Philippines, in Bangsamoro where for almost 30 years various Muslim groups have been engaged in an insurgency for an independent province in the country...
, was arrested by government forces. In addition, government troops killed 3 Abu Sayyaf militants on the 11 September in a gun battle in Basilan Island that lasted 30 minutes.
Terrorist incidents
- December 2000: Rizal Day BombingsRizal Day bombingsThe Rizal Day bombings, also referred to as the December 30 bombings, were a series of bombings that occurred around Metro Manila in the Philippines on December 30, 2000. The explosions occurred in close succession within a span of a few hours...
- May 2001: Dos Palmas kidnappings
- October 2002: Zamboanga bombing incident2002 Zamboanga bombingThe 2002 Zamboanga bombings were a series of attacks perpetrated on the 2nd, 17th and 21 October, 2002, around the southern Philippine port of Zamboanga City, Mindanao island...
- February 2004: SuperFerry 14 bombing incident
- October 2006: Bombing incidents in Central Mindanao2006 Central Mindanao bombingsThe 2006 Central Mindanao bombings were a series of three bombings and one attempted bombing in Central Mindanao on October 10 and 11. Eight people were killed and between 30 and 46 were injured.-Tacurong:...
- July 2007: Basilan beheading incident2007 Basilan beheading incident2007 Basilan beheading incident was an Islamic insurgency between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels, and the Philippine Army which led to the execution of about 14 or 23 members of the Philippine Marines, and beheaded 11 of them on the province of Basilan in the southern...
- November 2007: Batasang Pambansa bombingBatasang Pambansa bombingThe Batasang Pambansa bombing occurred on the night of November 13, 2007, at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City, Philippines...
- July 2009: Bombing incidents in MindanaoJuly 2009 Mindanao bombingsThe July 2009 Mindanao bombings was a series of seemingly unrelated bomb attacks that took place on the 4th, 5th, and 7th of July 2009 in the towns and cities of Datu Piang, Cotabato, Jolo, and Iligan on the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao that killed more than 7 people and injured at...
- January 2011: 4 merchants and a guide were ambushed and killed by Abu Sayyaf. Later, 1 government soldier was killed in a clash with insurgents.
- August 2011: August 2011 Mindanao bombings
- July 28, 2011: Abu Sayyaf attacked a village in Sulu province, killing 7 Filipino Marines and taking 7 civilians hostage. They later freed 2 of the hostages after a ransom was paid.
- September 4, 2011: 3 suspected Abu Sayyaf Gunmen abducted a Filipino businesswoman in Southern Philippines. Government troops freed the hostage on 19 September after killing the 3 gunmen.
See also
- History of Philippines
- Terrorism in the PhilippinesTerrorism in the PhilippinesTerrorism in the Philippines are conflicts based on political issues conducted by rebel organizations against the Philippine government, its citizens and supporters. Most terrorism in the country are conducted by Islamic terrorist groups...
- Extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in the PhilippinesExtrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in the PhilippinesExtrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in the Philippines refer to the illegal liquidations, unlawful or felonious killings and forced disappearances in the Philippines...
- Moro RebellionMoro RebellionThe Moro Rebellion was an armed military conflict between Moro revolutionary groups in the Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan and the United States military which took place in the Philippines as early as between 1899 to 1913, following the Spanish-American War in 1898...
- North Cotabato ConflictNorth Cotabato ConflictThe North Cotabato conflict is a military confrontation between the Philippines armed forces and rogue MILF rebels in the North Cotabato province of Mindanao.-Background:...
- Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines