Muslim Refugees Return Home After 3 Days Of Fighting Between MILF, Soldiers In Mindanao

A Philippine Army armored personnel carrier guards a village in Midsayap town in North Cotabato province in the southern Philippines Thursday, 01 Feb 2007. (Mindanao Examiner Photo/Mark Navales)

NORTH COTABATO (Mindanao Examiner / 01 Feb) – Muslim villagers have began returning home after three days of clashes between Muslim rebels and troops in the town of Midsayap in North Cotabato province forced thousands of people to flee.

Hundreds have started going back to their villages after Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels and Philippine Army soldiers agreed to a cease-fire this week.

Philippine military chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon ordered troops to halt attacks against MILF forces after both sides agreed to a cease-fire.

The fighting erupted January 26. At least 2 people were killed and two others injured in the fighting. Thousands of civilians fled their homes in at least 5 villages after rebels and soldiers clashed sporadically.

Government planes, backed by combat helicopters and ground forces, assaulted Saturday rebel strongholds after accusing some MILF fighters of attacking Christian farmers and army-led militias in the province.

Mohager Iqbal, chief rebel peace negotiator, accused the military of violating a fragile, six-year old truce, a charge that security officials denied.

He said the fighting broke out after armed militias and Christian landowners tried to drive away local Muslim villagers, some of them members of the MILF, who owned lands in the area. Iqbal said the soldiers sided with the militias and attacked rebel forces, sparking sporadic, but fierce clashes.

Col. Julieto Ando, a spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the rebels attacked farmers and government militias harvesting coconuts in the village of Ranaban, triggering a firefight.

“It was the rebels who started this fight. They attacked people who were just harvesting coconuts. The MILF violated the truce and we will file a protest with the government peace panel,” Ando said.

Iqbal said at least 5 villages have been bombed by military forces.

The MILF, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group, is currently negotiating peace with Manila, but despite a cease-fire accord signed in 2001, sporadic clashes still continue in many areas in the troubled region. (Mindanao Examiner)