Former Muslim rebels take control of Philippines autonomous region

Former Muslim guerrillas have taken over governance of a poverty- and conflict-wracked Muslim autonomous region under a peace deal with Manila. The agreement is partly aimed at combating Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) group-aligned militants in the southern Philippines. Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebel leader Murad Ebrahim on Tuesday assumed the leadership of an 80-member transition authority dominated by his guerrilla group to govern a five-province region Bangsamoro, AP reports. The first large group of about 12,000 combatants is to be demobilized starting this year under the peace deal. Murad says his insurgent group will now wage a new jihad, or holy war, against corruption and other “ills of governance.”