Mindanao’s Violent History Beyond Islamic State Influence

Why in the News ?

The Philippines’ Mindanao island, visited by the Bondi shooting perpetrators before the attack, has come under scrutiny due to its long history of separatist violence and Islamist militancy, much older and deeper than the recent presence of the Islamic State (IS).

Mindanao As A Persistent Conflict Zone

• Mindanao, the second-largest island of the Philippines, has remained a centre of separatist and militant activity for decades.
• The region’s violence is rooted in a complex interaction between terrorism, poverty, weak governance, and the illegal drug trade, rather than ideology alone.
• Long before the rise of Islamic State, several armed groups emerged demanding self-determination for Muslim communities collectively known as the Bangsamoro (Moro people).
• The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), formed in the 1960s–70s, framed its struggle in Islamic terms, including the concept of jihad, while opposing political marginalisation.
• Later, more violent outfits such as the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) became infamous for bombings, kidnappings, and beheadings, targeting civilians, soldiers, and Christian communities.
• These acts deepened Muslim–Christian polarisation in a country where about 80% of the population is Roman Catholic and roughly 6% practise Islam.

Rise Of Islamist Militancy And Global Connections

• According to the International Crisis Group (ICG), the Islamic State is only the latest phase of jihadist militancy in Mindanao.
• In 2015, IS-linked groups formed IS-East Asia / Wilayat Mashriq, aiming to establish an IS “province” in the region.
• This alliance included factions of the Abu Sayyaf Group, the Maute Group, and parts of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
• The most significant episode was the 2017 Marawi siege, when militants seized Marawi City, triggering a five-month military operation with airstrikes and foreign assistance, including from Australia.
• Over 1,130 people were killed, and the city centre was devastated, although many militant leaders were eliminated.
• Despite IS’s decline, lone-wolf attacks and small-scale extremist activities continue, sustaining regional and international security concerns.