2000 Philippine campaign against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front

2000 Philippine campaign against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
Part of the Moro conflict
The 2000 Philippine campaign against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front predominantly took place in areas within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Date 15 February 2000 – 9 July 2000 Location Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Philippines 7°13′00″N 124°15′00″E / 7.216667°N 124.25°E / 7.216667; 124.25Coordinates: 7°13′00″N 124°15′00″E / 7.216667°N 124.25°E / 7.216667; 124.25 Result Philippine government tactical victory
Belligerents
Republic of the Philippines	Moro Islamic Liberation Front
Commanders and leaders
Joseph Estrada Diomedio Villanueva Benjamin Defensor Elonor Padre	Salamat Hashim Murad Ebrahim Ameril Umbra Kato Abdullah Makapaar
Units involved
Armed Forces of the Philippines Philippine Army Philippine Air Force Philippine Navy Philippine Marine Corps	Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF)
Strength
50,000 - 70,000infantry 1,000 airmen	15,690 infantry
Casualties and losses
120 killed	1,082 killed
425 civilian casualties 755,000 - 1 million civilians displaced

Armed Forces of the Philippines

The 2000 Philippine campaign against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front was a military campaign conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against a Muslim secessionist group that took place during the presidency of Joseph Estrada in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in the Philippines. The campaign was waged "to weaken the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's capability to undermine the territorial integrity of the Philippines and inflict harm on both government personnel and civilians".

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) which broke away in 1977, had signed a ceasefire agreement and begun talks with the Philippine government in 1997 after the MNLF affirmed the 1996 Final Peace Agreement. The MILF, however, ultimately rejected the 1996 Final Peace Agreement as inadequate, reiterating a demand for a "Bangsamoro Islamic State", and not just simple political autonomy.

The MILF continued recruiting additional members, increasing its armaments and fortifying its camps. It also began assuming territories of its own within the Philippine Republic and took on the role of government in control of these territories. The MILF taxed the residents of these areas and an armed wing, which it called the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, secured the perimeter of its camps. Prior to April 2000, the MILF had been allowed to operate approximately 50 camps that were off limits to government soldiers. When the MILF finally broke off peace talks, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Army in particular, began attacking and destroying these camps one after the other.

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Wikipedia