Philippines army targets splinter groups after more bombs

Updated July 8, 2009 10:23:39

The southern Philippines has again been the scene of a series of bomb explosions, but this time known Muslim separatist groups, such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Abu Sayyaf, have been slow to claim responsibility.

The government says these groups are to blame, but that the armed forces are focussing their efforts on splinter groups instead. Peace negotiations collapsed last year when the Supreme Court stopped a deal to expand an existing Muslim autonomous region on Mindanao. Hundreds of people have been killed since then and thousands have been displaced, leaving the army to chase so-called rogue commanders of the MILF, who are said to have started the most recent violence.

Presenter: Zulfikar Abbany
Speaker: Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr, spokesman, Philippine armed forces, Manila

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