MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine officials say President Rodrigo Duterte has signed legislation creating a new Muslim autonomous region aimed at settling nearly a half century of Muslim unrest in the south, where he fears the Islamic State group is trying to gain a foothold.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque and another key aide told reporters without elaborating late Thursday that Duterte signed the bill creating the region, to be called Bangsamoro. The autonomy deal, which has been negotiated for more than two decades under four presidents, was approved earlier this week by both houses of Congress.

It's the latest significant attempt by the government to end Muslim fighting that has left more than 120,000 people dead and hampered development in the country's poorest regions.