1st Anniversary of Zamboanga Siege
The War Started @ September 09 2013
The
Zamboanga City crisis or
Battle of Zamboanga was an armed conflict in
Zamboanga City,
Philippines between the forces of the
Republic of the Philippines and a faction of the
Moro National Liberation Front,
generally known by other factions as the Rogue MNLF Elements (RME)
under the Sulu State Revolutionary Command (SSRC) led by Ustadz Habier
Malik and Khaid Ajibon, whose group continues to recognize Nur Misuari
as MNLF Chairman.
[5][6] The crisis erupted on September 9, 2013 when this MNLF faction attempted to raise the flag of the self-proclaimed
Bangsamoro Republik at Zamboanga City Hall,
[13] which had earlier
declared its independence on August 12, 2013 in
Talipao, Sulu.
[14][15] This armed incursion, which has been variously described a "crisis",
[16] a "standoff",
[17] a "siege",
[18] and a "humanitarian crisis",
[19] was met by the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the
Philippine National Police
(PNP), which sought to free the hostages and expel the MNLF from the
city. The standoff degenerated into urban warfare, and had brought parts
of the city under a standstill for days.
[20]
The clashes has caused the displacement of more than 100,000 people, the occupation of several
barangays (villages) by the MNLF, the deaths of several civilians, the closure of the
Zamboanga International Airport (which has since been reopened), and the slowdown of economic activity in the city.
The
Moro National Liberation Front or
Mindanao National Liberation Front (
MNLF) is a secessionist political organization in the Philippines that was founded by
Nur Misuari in 1969.
[1] The MNLF struggled against the
Philippine Government (GPH) to achieve independence
[2] of the
Bangsamoro Land (or Bangsamoro Nation, or Mindanao Nation). The
MNLF-GPH Peace Process
is ongoing since the 1976 and both parties are working together to
negotiate the terms and conditions of the legal framework and
implementation of genuine autonomy as a peaceful path towards
independence.
[3] As defined by the MNLF, the territory of Bangsamoro Land covers
Sulu,
Mindanao,
Palawan, and
Sabah.
The First Anniversary Of Zamboanga City Crisis. ( September 09 , 2014 ) .
