World View: Philippine Troops in Clashes with al-Qaeda Linked Terrorists

This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

• Philippine troops in clashes with al-Qaeda linked terrorists
• Tensions grow between Egypt and Gaza’s Hamas

Philippine troops in clashes with al-Qaeda linked terrorists

Philippine troops clash with MNLF terrorists on Thursday (VOA)

Tens of thousands have been driven from their homes by Muslim terrorists in the mostlyChristian city of Zamboanga on the Philippine island of Mindanao. Anestimated 180 terrorists from the al-Qaeda linked separatist groupMoro National Liberation Front (MNLF) are holding as many as 180hostages. The army says that it has the situation “contained,” but itis feared that the fighting will spread. 

There had been previous peace agreementsbetween the government and the MNLF’s predecessor, the Moro IslamicLiberation Front (MILF), but the army’s pledges toreduce poverty and reduce security either failed or nevermaterialized. President Benigno Aquino III, who took office in 2010,vowed to spend time and money to resolve the issues, but has not beeneffective. CNN and International Crisis Group (PDF) and VOA

Tensions grow between Egypt and Gaza’s Hamas

When Hamas was formed in 1988, it was a branch of Egypt’s MuslimBrotherhood. It took control of Gaza in 2008 in a war betweenPalestinian factions. During the year when Mohamed Morsi and hisMuslim Brotherhood party were controlling Egypt until he was deposedby a coup on July 3, Morsi never did very much for Hamas. But nowthat Egypt’s army is in charge, tensions are growing rapidly betweenHamas and Egypt, largely because of terrorist attacks on Egyptiansoldiers in the northern Sinai region of Egypt near the border withGaza. 

The Egyptian military has been making threatening actionstowards Hamas, such as sending warplanes over Gaza airspace. OnThursday, two Egyptian army tanks for the first time crossed into thecorridor that separates Egypt and Gaza. Egypt state TV is reportingthat Hamas has been training Egyptian terrorists how to plant bombs incars and that Hamas gave 400 landmines to Egyptian militant groups.Reuters and AFP

KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Philippines, Zamboanga, Mindanao,Moro National Liberation Front, MNLF,Moro Islamic Liberation Front, MILF, Benigno Aquino III,Egypt, Gaza, Hamas, Mohamed Morsi,Muslim Brotherhood 

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