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| Southeast Asia |
| 5 MILF killed in skirmish with Filippino troops |
| 2005-04-17 |
| Philippine military and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebel forces engaged in a day-long gunbattle Friday in Talayan, Maguindanao in southern Philippines, reported the Philippines News Agency on Saturday. At least five rebels were killed while four civilians fleeing the area were reported hurt in the incident, said the report. MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the skirmishes started after government troops encroached their so-called perimeter defense line in Barangay Upper Talayan that forms part of their acknowledged Camp Omar in the area. "We believe that they were running after Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah elements in the area but the soldiers instead encroached into MILF territory that triggered the firefight," he said. Kabalu maintained that the military operation was not coordinated with them. He said they would file a protest before the joint military-MILF Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities over the incident. For his part, Col. Franklin del Prado of Philippine army's 6th Infantary Division (61D) spokesman, said the particular operation was initiated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Southern Command (Southcom) that was carried out in utmost secrecy. "I cannot give you exact details of the operation because it was an 'upper level'operation. It is through though that our soldiers were running after ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) elements in thearea under Khadaffy Janjalani," Del Prado told newsmen. He said the soldiers who participated in the operation came from the Southcom and not from the 61D unit. "So you see, I cannot give you full details as of this time. If I do, it would be detrimental to 61D unit ," he further explained to the media here. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 These are just the wrong kind of MILF. Kill them faster. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom 2005-04-17 1:03:48 PM |