Moro conflict

This article is about the post-colonial-era insurgency. For the conflict with the United States of 1899–1913, see Moro Rebellion. For the pre-1899 conflict, see Spanish–Moro conflict. For the series of attacks over Sabah, see Cross border attacks in Sabah.
Not to be confused with Kidnapping of Aldo Moro.

Moro conflict
Part of the Cold War, insurgency in the Philippines, War on terror, North Borneo dispute and War against the Islamic State

Map of the Philippines showing the still majority Moro Muslim areas in Mindanao
DateMarch 18, 1968[30] – February 22, 2019 (50 years, 11 months and 4 days)
Location
Mindanao, Philippines
Result

Peace agreements declared between the Government and the MILF/MNLF

Territorial
changes		 The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was officially ratified on February 22, 2019, and replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao[33]
Belligerents

 Philippines
Supported by:
 United States (advisors)[1]
 Australia[2][3]
 Indonesia[4][5]
 Malaysia (since 2001)[4][6][7][8]
 Russia[9]
 China[10]

International Monitoring Team (IMT)

Bangsamoro:
MNLF (until 1996)[11]
MILF (until 2014)

Former support:
Libya (until 2011)[12][13][14][15][16][17]
 Malaysia (until 2001)[18][19][20]

NDFP

Jihadist groups:
BIFF
ASG (1991–2024)[21][22][23]
Maute group (2013–2017)[24][25][26]
AKP (2014–c. 2021)
KIM (2011–2013)[27]
Rajah Sulaiman Movement (until 2005)[28][29]
Commanders and leaders
Ferdinand Marcos #
(1968–1986)
Corazon Aquino #
(1986–1992)
Fidel Ramos #
(1992–1998)
Joseph Estrada
(1998–2001)
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
(2001–2010)
Benigno Aquino #
(2010–2016)
Rodrigo Duterte
(2016–2019)		 Nur Misuari (1972–1996)
Habier Malik †
Muslimin Sema (1972–1996)
Habib Mujahab Hashim # (1972–1996)
Abul Khayr Alonto # (1972–1996)
Murad Ebrahim (1977–2014)
Hashim Salamat # (1977–2003)
Former support:
Anwar Sadat X[34]
Muammar Gaddafi X
Mustapha Harun #[35][36]		 Radullan Sahiron
Khadaffy Janjalani †
Galib Andang †
Ameril Umbra Kato #
Mohammad Jaafar Maguid †
Isnilon Hapilon †
Omar Maute †
Abdullah Maute †
Ahmed Santos (POW)
Strength
125,000–130,000[37] 11,000 (2012)[37] Unspecified
Casualties and losses
Total killed:
c. 100,000

The Moro conflict[38][39][40] was an insurgency in the Mindanao region of the Philippines which involved multiple armed groups.[41][30] A decades-long peace process[38][42] has resulted in various peace deals have been signed between the Philippine government and two major armed groups, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)[43] and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF),[44] but other smaller armed groups continue to exist. In 2017, the peace council settled around 138 clan conflicts.[45]

The root cause of the Moro conflict is associated in a long history of resistance by the Moro people against foreign rule, for centuries the region was in control of the Spanish Empire. The U.S. had a brief war with Spain in 1898 which ended in the transfer of the Philippines to the United States, and this lead to American occupation until 1946.

During the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, political tensions and open hostilities developed between the Philippine government and Moro rebel groups.[41][46] The Moro insurgency was triggered[47] by the purported Jabidah massacre on March 18, 1968, during which 60 Filipino Muslim commandos on a planned operation to reclaim the eastern part of the Malaysian state of Sabah were said to have been killed. As retaliation against the Philippine government's failed attempt at reclaiming Sabah, the Malaysian government supported and funded the rebels which devastated the southern Philippines, until support ceased in 2001.[48]

Various organizations pushing for Moro self-determination, either through autonomy or independence, were almost immediately formed in response.[49][50] Although these generally did not last long until University of the Philippines professor Nur Misuari established the Moro National Liberation Front, an armed insurgent group committed to establishing an independent Mindanao, in 1972. In the following years, the MNLF splintered into several different groups including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front founded by Hashim Salamat, which sought to establish an Islamic state within the Philippines.[citation needed] When the MILF modified its demands from independence to autonomy in the late 2008, a faction led by Ameril Umbra Kato disagreed, eventually forming the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in 2010.[51][52]

Casualty statistics vary for the conflict, though the conservative estimates of the Uppsala Conflict Data Program indicate that at least 6,015 people were killed in armed conflict between the government of the Philippines and the Abu Sayyaf (ASG), BIFF, MILF, and MNLF factions between 1989 and 2012.[53]

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