Filipino Rebels Kill 21 Villagers Over Peace Deal - NYTimes.comFilipino Rebels Kill 21 Villagers Over Peace Deal - NYTimes.comMain MenuMain MenuType Size:AAANight Mode:DisableEnableAccount:SubscribeLog inThe New York TimesInternational New York TimesSearchGoShareTweetMoreSubscribeSubscribeMy accountLog inWorldFilipino Rebels Kill 21 Villagers Over Peace DealSurvivors of an attack by Muslim rebels recover in a hospital in southern Philippines on Monday.Ben Hajan / European Pressphoto AgencyShareBy FLOYD WHALEYJuly 28, 2014MANILA —  Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines opened fire on a group of about 50 people who were on their way to a religious celebration on Monday, killing at least 21 and wounding 13, military officials said. The dead included a 2-year-old boy.The group, which included 10 village police officials and about 40 civilians, was traveling between remote villages on the island of Jolo when men on both sides of the road fired automatic weapons at their vehicles, said Capt. Rowena Muyuela, a military spokeswoman. The group was headed for a celebration of the end of the holy month of Ramadan.“The gunmen fired indiscriminately,” said Captain Muyuela. “Based on initial reports, the motive was retaliatory action for their support of the government’s peace and order campaign.”The government attributed the attack to Abu Sayyaf, a small but violent extremist group that has carried out bombings and high-profile kidnappings in the southern Philippines. Abu Sayyaf and several other small extremist groups oppose a peace agreement that the government reached four months ago with the largest Muslim separatist group in the southern Philippines, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.The Philippine military has been fighting separatist rebels in the area for more than a decade, backed by United States Special Forces. The region remains plagued with violence despite the peace agreement.An ambush on June 19 near Patikul, not far from the site of Monday’s attack, killed seven soldiers and wounded 13 more. It was one of 26 attacks in the southern Philippines in June linked to Islamic extremist groups, according to Pacific Strategies and Assessments, a risk mitigation company.“Without question, armed groups disenfranchised politically by the peace deal will continue to play agitator in the months ahead,” said Matt Williams, director for the company in the Philippines. “In this regard, we are looking at conflict transfer, as opposed to conflict resolution.”The government is working on legislation to implement the peace deal. In his annual state of the nation address on Monday, President Benigno S. Aquino III appealed for patience with the lengthy drafting process. “It is important to scrutinize each provision we lay down” in the new law, the president said.Supporters of the deal say if the new law is not enacted before Mr. Aquino leaves office in 2016, it could be in jeopardy.In June, the United States announced that it would phase out the American military unit that had been supporting antiterrorism operations in the southern Philippines since 2002. The unit’s responsibilities will be taken up by other Philippine and American forces in the country.Related CoverageNew Clash in the Philippines Raises Fears of a Wider Threat Sep 12, 2013ShareSaveShow Full Article                            xSharexEmailTwitterRedditGooglePermalinkhttp://nyti.ms/1nRRQX3ToolsSaveMore In WorldArgentine President Now Says Prosecutor’s Death Was Not a SuicidePresident Cristina Fernández de Kirchner said she believed that the lead investigator of the 1994 bombing of a Jewish center did not commit suicide.U.S. and Cuba Set to Discuss Diplomatic TiesThe nations on Wednesday discussed migration, and a meeting on Thursday will cover matters like reopening embassies.Citing Falling Oil Prices, Iraq Seeks Arms on Credit to Fight ISIS4:36 PM ETPrime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the precipitous drop in prices posed a fresh challenge to his military’s efforts to push back Islamic State militants.Back to topMain MenuHomeHomeWorldU.S.U.S. NewsPoliticsU.S. PoliticsThe UpshotNew YorkBusinessBusinessBusiness DayTechnologySportsSportsOpinionOpinionScienceHealthArtsArtsStyleStylePhotosVideoMost EmailedTimes PremierMore SectionsAutomobilesBlogsBooksFoodFoodFoodEducationHome & GardenMagazineMoviesMusicMedia & AdvertisingObituariesPublic EditorGreat Homes and DestinationsReal EstateSunday ReviewT MagazineTelevisionTheaterTimes WireTravelWeddingsCorrectionsRecommendationsSavedSettingsEdition:Type Size:AAANight Mode:DisableEnableAccount:SubscribeLog inDownload Our AppsNYTimesNYT NowDownload the NYTimes appHelpSubscribeFeedbackTerms of ServicePrivacy© 2015 The New York Times Company