President Rodrigo R. Duterte announced on Monday, July 25, a unilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels to be effective immediately.

“To immediately stop violence on the ground, restore peace in the communities, and provide enabling environment conducive to the resumption of the peace talks, I am now announcing a unilateral ceasefire with the CPP/NPA/NDF [Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front] effective immediately,” said President Duterte during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) held in Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

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Members of the breakaway Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). Latest reports claim that a faction has broken away from the current BIFF leadership. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Six gunmen of a breakaway faction of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and a soldier were killed in a series of clashes in Maguindanao on Tuesday, the Army said.

Four soldiers and 10 breakaway BIFF men were also injured in the fighting that erupted at 4:30 a.m. in Barangay Pamalian in Shariff Saydona town, according Col. Lito Sobejana.

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The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an explosion during a protest in Afghanistan, which killed at least 80 people and left at least 260 more injured.

CNN reports that the death toll in the capital city of Kabul has reached 80 people as the Islamic State claims three suicide bombers carried out the attack in the crowd of protestors.

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At least 10 Indian paramilitary soldiers were killed in an attack by Maoist rebels in a forest area in eastern India, police said on Tuesday.

PK Thakur, the director-general of state police, said three insurgents were also killed in an exchange of gunfire on Monday in the Dumrinala area, about 170 kilometres south of Patna, the capital of Bihar state.

The rebels used improvised explosive devices and fired at paramilitary soldiers in the area that is known to be a rebel stronghold, PK Sahu, another police officer, said.

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A local official in Afghanistan’s central province of Uruzgan warned that the entire province is in danger of falling to Taliban militants.

Mohammad Zaher Naderi, member of Uruzgan provincial council, said the province is on the verge of collapse with extensive assaults by the Taliban.

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