Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Filipino soldier, five militiamen and four villagers were killed by a powerful bomb that exploded in a van the troops were inspecting Tuesday amid threats of bombings in a southern province, military officials said.

President Rodrigo Duterte received a draft law by the Moro rebel group on July 17, in an important step to broker peace in the southeast Asian country.        

An international group looking at ways to help Turkey?s Kurdish ?solution process? has been visiting the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to discuss the ongoing peace initiative between the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu arrived in the Philippines on Nov. 17 and pledged Turkey’s full support for the Mindanao peace process, local media reported.

Davutoğlu promised to back the process that aims to end a decades-old armed conflict in the Muslim-majority south, Philippines broadcaster PTV News said.