A rebel fighter mans his machine gun at a post in the southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 18, 2011) – Government troops in Mindanao attacked rebel forces whose group is currently negotiating peace with the Philippines.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front accused Special Forces soldiers of attacking rebels in the village of Sironggon in Basilan’s Tuburan town. It said the attack occurred just last week when some 200 soldiers launched an operation against the rebels sparking 8 hours of sporadic gun battle.
It said some 300 families have evacuated the village due to the military offensive, but there was no report of casualties on both sides.
The MILF, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group, said the attack was connected to the ongoing operation to rescue a kidnapped US woman and her son, and Filipino nephew in Basilan, just several nautical miles across Zamboanga where the trio had been snatched July 12.
Police and military have tagged Waning Abdusalam, rogue rebel commander as behind the kidnappings of Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann, 42, and son Kevin Eric, 14, and nephew Romnick Jakaria, 19.
“This attack was a deliberate act of violation to the ceasefire accord between the government and MILF,” the rebel group said.
Colonel Alex Macario, commander of military forces in Basilan, did not give any statement and refused to answer phone calls from journalists.
The MILF has said Abdusalam, who was also linked to previous kidnappings for ransom in Zamboanga, is not a member of the rebel group. The kidnappers contacted the woman’s family and demanded a ransom for the release of the hostages, local officials said.
Local media reported that the kidnappers were demanding $10 million ransom, but this could not be immediately confirmed.(Mindanao Examiner)
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front accused Special Forces soldiers of attacking rebels in the village of Sironggon in Basilan’s Tuburan town. It said the attack occurred just last week when some 200 soldiers launched an operation against the rebels sparking 8 hours of sporadic gun battle.
It said some 300 families have evacuated the village due to the military offensive, but there was no report of casualties on both sides.
The MILF, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group, said the attack was connected to the ongoing operation to rescue a kidnapped US woman and her son, and Filipino nephew in Basilan, just several nautical miles across Zamboanga where the trio had been snatched July 12.
Police and military have tagged Waning Abdusalam, rogue rebel commander as behind the kidnappings of Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann, 42, and son Kevin Eric, 14, and nephew Romnick Jakaria, 19.
“This attack was a deliberate act of violation to the ceasefire accord between the government and MILF,” the rebel group said.
Colonel Alex Macario, commander of military forces in Basilan, did not give any statement and refused to answer phone calls from journalists.
The MILF has said Abdusalam, who was also linked to previous kidnappings for ransom in Zamboanga, is not a member of the rebel group. The kidnappers contacted the woman’s family and demanded a ransom for the release of the hostages, local officials said.
Local media reported that the kidnappers were demanding $10 million ransom, but this could not be immediately confirmed.(Mindanao Examiner)
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