ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman.
As the month of Ramadan ended Wednesday, the regional governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) urged to stand together against all terror actions, not only against Muslims but against humanity.
In a statement issued on the eve of Eid al-Fitr, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said that "In this time of renewal, may our courage be renewed as we face a world that constantly challenges our faith."
Condemning the terror attacks that hit in Muslim countries and other parts of the world, Hataman added: "May we stand together with the rest of humanity, united in action against terror and fear."
The ARMM governor said these are not the first attacks committed by extremists and terrorists who claim to do acts of terror in the name of Islam, nor these will be the last.
"We face this reality with a grave self-awareness, knowing that the ummah will have to face the recurring question of Islam's relevance in a world that longs for peace and justice."
On June 28, thirty-eight soldiers who were about to break their fast were killed in a wave of suicide bombings in Mukalla, Yemen.
The attackers were believed to be posing as iftar distributors for the breaking of the fast. On the same day, news of yet another attack spread online, this time an attack on Istanbul's Akaturk Airport. The attack left 45 people dead and more than 200 injured.
On July 1, seven men opened fire on a bakery in Bangladesh. They took several dozen people hostages and killed 28 people.
On July 3, Muslims breaking the fast were specifically targeted by a suicide bombing that killed at least 215 people in Baghdad, Iraq.
On July 4, a suicide bomber detonated his vest outside the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia, one of Islam's holiest sites, as thousands of Muslim worshippers prepared for the sunset prayers.
"As Muslims, a heavy burden rests on our shoulders as we grieve and seek justice for the deaths of our brethren," Hataman said.
"The weight we carry is made heavier by the need to amplify Islam's message of compassion and mercy over those whose message contain nothing but violence and pain."
Hataman said all true Muslims should not be silenced by these barbaric acts.
"We will not be silenced. We condemn these crimes to the highest degree and with utmost conviction, as we continue to struggle and strive to live up to the ideals of Islam," he said.
Hataman admitted the Abu Sayyaf that operates in ARMM provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, remain a threat to the country's security.
The Daesh-linked militant group is still holding a Norwegian, a Dutchman, seven Indonesian kidnap victims, some Filipinos and they threatened to behead Kjartan Sekkingstad if the P300 million ransom demand is not met. MGP News
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