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Philippine military plans all-Muslim units to tackle insurgency
 [AFP] The Philippine military announced plans to create all-Muslim fighting units on Saturday as it looks to bolster efforts to tackle Islamic insurgents. Five percent of all new applications will be allocated for Muslims under the new order, military spokesman Colonel Edgard Arevalo said, adding the eventual goal was to have a dedicated brigade or division to be deployed in the nation's troubled south.Arevalo said the Muslim quota, which reflects the proportion of the religious minority in the population, would help the army operate in areas where local people have previously viewed it with suspicion. He said, "Most of our Muslim brothers and sisters perceive the deployment of almost 100 percent Christian soldiers in their communities as invading or occupational forces," he said, adding that fellow Muslims would be more aware of religious or cultural sensitivities. Posted by: ryuge 2017-04-19 |
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