COTABATO, Philippines — A significant clash stemming from a longstanding land conflict has claimed the lives of at least 11 individuals involving two leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and their supporters in a southern township, as reported by military and local officials on Thursday.

The violence broke out on Wednesday in Pagalungan, Maguindanao del Sur, between rival factions led by two MILF commanders. Fortunately, measures to restore peace have since been established by military, police, and community leaders linked to the rebel group.

This altercation was ignited by an enduring feud over land ownership between the clans associated with the two rebel leaders, an issue not directly tied to the broader Muslim insurgency movement.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front was once the predominant Muslim separatist group in the southern Philippines, where it represents the interests of the minority Muslim population in a nation predominantly adhering to Roman Catholicism. However, the group shifted its focus when it entered into a peace agreement with the government in 2014, renouncing its quest for independence in exchange for the establishment of a Muslim autonomous region named Bangsamoro.

Currently, this six-province area is overseen by former MILF leaders under a transitional framework, paving the way for regular elections slated for May next year. Despite this transition, many guerrillas remain armed while anticipating compensation and support from the government as outlined in the peace agreement.

According to Vice Mayor Abdillah Mamasabulod of Pagalungan, the conflict is rooted in a long-standing dispute over approximately 290 hectares (716 acres) of farmland between two rival clans of the MILF. Mamasabulod urged the disputing factions to resolve their conflicts amicably through mediation offered by government officials and rebel leaders.

Witnesses reported that the violence led to the deaths of as many as 19 individuals, along with numerous injuries before a ceasefire agreement was reached. Initially, Army Lt. Col. Roden Orbon stated that government forces had discovered nine bodies and noted five additional combatants were injured, but he later updated the death toll to 11, mentioning that at least five weapons had been seized from the scene.

“The military and local police are actively monitoring all nearby hospitals and working with both camps to identify the deceased,” Orbon remarked. He added that residents who had fled during the conflict were starting to return to their homes.

This recent outbreak of violence underscores the intricate security challenges that have persisted in the southern Philippines, an area rich in resources and potential, but often hindered by deep-seated poverty, ineffective law enforcement, an abundance of illegal firearms, and a variety of insurgent and criminal organizations.