Manila, Philippines – For an uninterrupted observance of Islam's Eid'l Fitr (Festival of Breaking Fast), presumably on Friday, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) through its Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) has asked the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to hold back any military activity in MILF areas covered by the ceasefire as the holy month of Ramadan draws to a close.

As this developed, Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Ben Muhammad Dolorfino assured that his contingent is practicing utmost sensitivity towards Ramadan and the coming Eid'l Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast.

"We will be on active defense as heightened alert is imposed in Mindanao," said Dolorfino.

Luwaran.net quoted Said Sheikh, new chief of the MILF-CCCH, as conveying his group's appeal to his counterpart in the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP).

"We appealed to the government not to conduct military activities as much as possible all over Mindanao, including the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Palawan as the Islamic faithful in the area are going to intensify their religious activities inside their houses, in public areas, open fields, and in Masjid (mosque) in the remaining days of Ramadan,” Sheikh said.

He said the appeal was formally relayed to GRP-CCCH head Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Sealana on the directive of the MILF Central Committee chaired by Al-Hajji Murad Ebrahim. The call for restraint covers this week and next week.