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Fighting rages on in the Philippines
Fighting has continued in the southern Philippines between government troops and separatist Muslim rebels, despite a ceasefire ordered by President Gloria Arroyo. Military officials say 60 rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have been killed since the fighting erupted in Cotabato province on the island of Mindanao on Tuesday. But a rebel spokesman said they had suffered very few casualties. He said the guerrillas would fight on until government troops withdrew to their original positions. He said they would boycott a meeting of the ceasefire committee that the government had asked for. Sounds like the army is on a roll. The army says it is pursuing a notorious kidnap gang sheltering in a rebel base. Up to 20,000 villagers have sought shelter from the fighting in schools and other government buildings. Officially, the truce had been called to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. But the BBC's correspondent in Manila, John McLean, said President Arroyo ordered a halt to the offensive because the government is worried that another big breakdown in a shaky five-year old ceasefire could endanger peace talks with the MILF. Why would you want peace talks when you have them cornered? Southern military chief Lieutenant General Narciso Abaya said the suspension of the offensive had ended at midnight, and that he was not ruling out resuming an attack on the MILF. "Hello, hello, is that you Ms President? I can't hear you, the radio is breaking up! Hello, nope, still can't hear you." Hours before the ceasefire meeting was due to begin, two bombs knocked out a power pylon and plunged the town of Pikit and nearby villages into darkness. No-one was hurt in the explosions and the electricity supply was restored by Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, more than 2,000 soldiers moved in with tanks, artillery and planes against the MILF stronghold near Pikit. The military says the attack was planned to flush out a group of kidnappers known as the Pentagon gang, which is on the list of US terrorist organisations and are allegedly being sheltered by the MILF. The MILF denies this accusation. "Don't know them, they ain't here! Now stop shooting at us!" Posted by: Steve 2003-02-12 |
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