Philippines Military free 116 hostages from Muslim rebels

ZAMBOANGA (Philippines) — The Philippine Military have taken back control of about 70% of the coastal areas of a southern city that were occupied by Muslim rebels Moro National Liberation Front and rescued 116 of more than 100 civilians held hostage in a nine-day standoff, the military said today (Sept 17, 2013).

Military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Ramon Zagala said that 64 civilians were freed, some of them escaped during military operations earlier today. Then another 14 walked to freedom in separate batches. That brought to 116 the number of those rescued in the last 18 hours.

He also said that more than 100 Moro National Liberation Front rebels were still holding other hostages in the remaining pockets they controlled in five coastal villages in Zamboanga city. The government initially estimated more than 180 people were being held by the rebels, but Lt-Col Zagala said the exact number was unclear.

Three (3) soldiers were killed and 10 wounded today in the latest fighting in Zamboanga city, which followed a day of military airstrikes on rebel positions. That brings the death toll on the government side to 12 — nine soldiers and three policemen.

Troops and special police forces have killed or arrested more than 100 rebels who occupied the coastal areas after government forces foiled what officials said was an attempt by the heavily armed insurgents to take control of city hall on Sept 8.

Seven civilians have been killed in the fighting.

Troops have tried to contain the clashes on the outskirts of Zamboanga, a largely Christian city of nearly 1 million people, but suspected rebel mortar fire destroyed a car near the city’s downtown area yesterday, raising fears the gunmen were attempting to divert the military’s attention.

Philippine Muslim Rebels (MNLF) Attack Another Province

VOA News reported that the Moro National Liberation Front have attacked a second province in the southern Philippines, not far from where they are engaged in a four day-long standoff with the military.

The rebels on Thursday attacked the island province of Basilan, where local officials say at least two people were wounded.

Basilan Island is more or less 30 kilometers from the key port city of Zamboanga, where about 200 MNLF fighters have taken scores of civilians hostage since Monday.

About 13,000 residents have fled the fighting, leaving parts of the city abandoned and resembling a war zone. So far, at least nine (9) people have died in the conflict.

JV Faustino, editor of the Zamboanga Today newspaper, tells VOA the atmosphere is tense.

"All the businesses remain closed for the fourth day today, although some people are already coming out on the streets. But generally the situation is not normal. I see a number of troops roaming around the city, including tanks and heavy military equipment."

Colonel Rodrigo Gregorio of the Philippine military says for now there is no effort to retake the areas held by rebels, who are said to be holding some of the hostages as human shields.

"There is no effort yet to decisively capture the objectives because of our present mission. Unless all else fails, including political and diplomatic means, that mission could possibly be changed. We hope we don't have to reach that point."

The MNLF has long pushed for greater autonomy in the mainly Muslim south, where more than 150,000 people have died during a four decade-long insurgency.

The MNLF signed a peace agreement with the government in 1996 that led to the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. But some of its members continued to fight, claiming Manila did not hold up its end of the deal to develop the impoverished, rural region.

MNLF founder Nur Misuari has also criticized the government's peace talks with a breakaway faction, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Fearing the negotiations may marginalize his own group's power, Misuari last month declared parts of the region to be independent of Manila.

Under Misuari's leadership, the MNLF in 2001 carried out a similar attack in Zamboanga. The fighters were later allowed to leave after releasing their hostages.