MSF run mental health support and WASH activities for people displaced by the ongoing conflict between Philippines forces and two pro- Islamic State factions (the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf) in the country’s Mindanao region.

The fighting is confined to Marawi City, which insurgents besieged in late May. Around 360,000 people have been displaced from Marawi and its surroundings. Many areas remain hard to access for humanitarian groups.

Less than 10% of IDPs are housed in formal government-run evacuation structures. The majority are with family and friends – or informal 'community-based' locations such as garages, warehouses, schools and mosques.

MSF is supporting 4,000 people based in five such locations in Iligan City, around 30km north of Marawi.

Increasingly, we are also able to visit the safer areas of Marawi City and its surroundings. As the Philippines army moves closer to dislodging insurgents from heavily destroyed Marawi, we aim to expand to other areas and support an additional 8,000 people by the end of the year.