Clan Gunfight in Aleosan, Cotabato Leaves 6 Wounded — Army Troops Deployed

Clan Gunfight in Aleosan, Cotabato Leaves 6 Wounded — Army Troops Deployed

📌 On Thursday, November 12, two Muslim clans fought a gun battle in Barangay Pagangan, Aleosan, Cotabato Province, Mindanao, leaving 6 people wounded and 12 houses and makeshift shelters burned. Hundreds of residents fled, and the army deployed troops to prevent further clashes.

■ What Happened
· According to Philstar, armed men from two clans linked to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) exchanged fire with rifles and 40mm grenade launchers in Sitio Tubak, wounding 3 on each side. One side set fire to 12 houses and makeshift shelters before withdrawing.
· The clash was sparked two days earlier, on Tuesday the 10th, when two schoolboys, a third-grader and a seventh-grader who were relatives of one clan, were killed in an ambush while riding a motorcycle on a road in Pagangan. On Monday the 9th, a farmer from the other clan and his 12-month-old son were shot dead in neighboring Pikit.
· Local officials said the feud between the two clans has killed 8 people over the past 3 years.

■ Investigation and Current Situation
· The army's 33rd Infantry Battalion deployed troops to Barangay Pagangan (200 troops, according to the Philstar headline).
· The Aleosan mayor condemned the violence and urged the two clans to seek a peaceful resolution, while local leaders, the military, and the Cotabato provincial police are mediating a reconciliation.

■ Advisory for Residents and Travelers
· When traveling to and from Cotabato and other parts of central Mindanao, check security advisories from local police and barangay officials first.
· It is safer to avoid roads near villages affected by the armed clashes until the situation calms down.

■ Source
Philstar (11/14)

■ Photo
· File photo · Soldiers aiming a machine gun — Philstar