Maguindanao clashes displace 45,000

The United Nations has said deadly clashes between soldiers and a Muslim rebel group in Maguindanao, Philippines, had displaced up to 45,000 people. Arjun Jain, head of the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees office in Mindanao, said nearly half of the displaced were living in poor conditions in makeshift evacuation camps such as schools and madrassas. He said there were also concerns about safety, referring to reports that rebels had infiltrated the evacuation camps disguised as refugees. Members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) attacked several army detachments in Maguindanao last week, triggering gunbattles that left at least 5 soldiers dead.

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