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| Southeast Asia |
| 16 Islamist rebels killed in Philippines fighting |
| 2008-09-09 |
| A crude bomb went off at a public market and another was defused near a hospital in two southern Philippine cities on Monday, as the military chief warned of more bombings after Manila broke off talks with Muslim rebels. As fresh fighting erupted in the southern Philippines, the Red Cross issued a funding appeal to help more than 500,000 people displaced by the decades-old Muslim separatist insurgency. A regional military spokesman said 16 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels were either killed or wounded when Philippine military aircraft attacked boats carrying 100 rebels. Regional Military Spokesman Major Armand Rico said the aircraft, two helicopter gunships and two fixed wing aircraft carrying bombs, were providing aircover for ground troops when the rebels using machine guns opened fire on them, which prompted one of the pilots to return fire. "Our latest report is that they (MILF) suffered many casualties. That report is based on a pilot's account after scoring a direct hit on one of the boats," he said. It was the first time aircraft had been used in the fighting since the Muslim holy month of Ramadan started on September 1. Local residents reported shrapnel from the bombing killed four children, said Mosib Tan, the municipal administrator. Local military commander Colonel Marlou Salazar, however, rejected the report, telling journalists: "Those who claimed there were children fatalities were not in the area, (there were) no civilians there except government troops and MILF rebels." Army ordnance experts disarmed two improvised bombs elsewhere in Mindanao, one planted outside a hospital in Tacurong city and another at the public market in Isulan town, Salazar said, although there had been no claims of responsibility. The Red Cross has said "up to a half a million people have been affected," with many forced to flee their homes. The agency said Monday it would need more funds to help up to 80,000 people a month since the agency's yearly budget of seven million dollars for the nation has nearly been exhausted due to the conflict. Manila has effectively suspended peace talks with the MILF, which seeks to establish an independent Moro homeland governed by Islamic sharia law. Fighting broke out in Mindanao island on August 10 after the Supreme Court blocked a draft peace agreement intended to create a political settlement to end four decades of sectarian bloodshed. |
| Posted by:Fred |