In the Philippines Christians take up arms against terrorists

They are called “Red God Defenders”. They are Christian farmers who have taken up arms to defend themselves from the Muslim extremists in the southern Philippines. Since long, in fact, the violence of numerous armed organizations close to the thugs of the Islamic State are affecting Christians who live in the region of Mindanao.

Tired of these attacks, some Christians have decided to arm themselves and to challenge Muslim extremists. “We took up arms because we were forced,” said Asiong, spokesman of the militants, during a ceremony of the group. “We are always under attack, even while we are working in our land.” During the celebration it was symbolically burned the black flag of the ISIS and the more than three hundred fighters present have vowed to defend their territories by Islamic rebels.

The attacks against the Christian community are frequent. The last took place on Christmas Day, when the militiamen of the “Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters” (BIFF) affected several villages, killing fourteen people. The armed rebels opened fire on defenseless peasants who were working on their plantations, killing nine people. In the same time an improvised explosive device was detonated near a Christian chapel.

The “BIFF” is a well-organized group, came out from the “Moro Islamic Liberation Front” (MILF), after a peace agreement signed in 2012 between the latter and the government of Manila. For “Biff”, the “MILF” is too moderate.

But these are not the only organizations involved. Another group capable of organizing guerrilla warfare is the “Moro National Liberation Front” (MNLF), born in the late sixties under the leadership of the terrorist Nur Misuari. In the region is also active “Abu Sayyaf Group” (ASG), founded in the late eighties by Abdurajik Janjalani thanks the funding of six million dollars made by Osama Bin Laden. Lately, however, it seems that the organization joined the Caliphate.

A jungle of names and groups that the Christians have decided to fight. With weapons in hand.