THE FIGHTING between two Moro rebel factions in Maguindanao province is not connected with the Framework Agreement recently signed by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), an army official said on Saturday.

Skirmishes between the MILF and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) killed two persons and forced dozens of families to leave their homes in Brgy. Libutan, Ma-masapano, Maguindanao.

Maj. Gen. Rey Ardo, commander of the Army’s Sixth Infantry Division, said that the clash was triggered by family feud over a land dispute.

The army official said that fighting between warring Muslim clans is not new in the area, which is known to be teeming with members of the MILF and BIFF.

“We cannot just go there and enter the area, because of most of them are MILF and BIFF members, but the fighting is not in the [town] center, we are just taking care of the evacuees,” Ardo said.

He said that the fighting could escalate and more people could be affected if soldiers intervened.

Ardo said that they will try to stop the feud from growing.

“Rido is a long standing problem that we need to address, it’s a clan war,” he told reporters.

According to Mayor Benzar Am-patuan of Mamasapano, the MILF and the BIFF each suffered a casualty in the skirmishes, while 20 families fled to avoid being caught in the crossfire.