Insurgent fighting has spread to another town in the southern region of the Philippines, as troops continue to battle the Muslim rebels in Zamboanga City, where over a hundred residents are being held hostage.
The insurgents mounted new attacks in the predominantly Christian outskirts of Lamitan in Basilan Province Thursday morning, according to Vice Mayor Roderick Furigay.
Authorities said they had been monitoring the movements of rebels in the area and that many residents had already been evacuated. Five people were missing, however, and two were wounded, Furigay said.
The Basilan island province is a boat ride away from Zamboanga City on Mindanao island, where Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) fighters have been holding residents hostage in a number of the port’s coastal neighborhoods since early Monday morning.
The fighting has caused an estimated 15,000 residents to flee, many seeking refuge in a nearby sports stadium.
As of late Wednesday, 12 people had been killed, including two civilians, a police officer, a soldier, and eight rebels, according to an official tally reported by The Manila Times. Another 36 people had been wounded, including 3 policemen and 12 soldiers.
A busy port, Zamboanga, has a population of around 800,000 and is the Philippines’ sixth most populous city. The city, parts of which resemble a war zone with tanks in the streets and snipers on the top of buildings, remains under curfew.
Negotiations Stalled
Under the leadership of founder Nur Misuari, the MNLF is part of a rebellion that began 42 years ago and has claimed 150,000 lives. The recent fighting is understood to be an effort to derail peace talks with a rival separatist group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which the government began last October.
The MNLF rebels in Zamboanga are surrounded by military forces and have been using civilians as human shields. An Associated Press photographer reported Wednesday about villagers, believed to be hostages, waving white cloths in front of a house and yelling, “Don’t fire, don’t fire.”
It is the second such attack by the MNLF on Zamboanga City, the last one was in 2001 when dozens of hostages were taken and many were left dead.
Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the military had stopped rebel movement in and out of the Zamboanga areas but are mindful of endangering hostages.
“At the moment the AFP is standing down to pave the way for possible negotiation. This is being done by the crisis monitoring committee. We want to assure everyone that we are doing whatever we can to ensure that there will be a peaceful resolution to the crisis,” he told The Philippine Star.
While Misuari wants an autonomous region for a large part of Mindanao, he has made no public appearance or statement since the recent rebel incursion.
Presidential adviser on the Peace Process, Secretary Teresita “Ging” Deles, defended the government’s position, saying Misuari had not been excluded from the peace process but had been uncooperative in previous negotiations.
“I do not want to openly speculate about what is in his mind ... but this pattern on his behavior on the table should be looked at. What would make Misuari happy? It seems that all our work does not seem to make him happy. ... Therefore what does he want?” she said at a press conference, reported by ABS-CBN television.
MNLF spokesman Emmanuel Fontanilla warned against any further military action saying it would only make matters worse. Misuari is open to talks, he said, and proposed that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations be called in to oversee negotiations, ABS-CBN reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Insurgent Fighting Spreads in Philippines
Insurgent fighting has spread to another town in the southern region of the Philippines, as troops continue to battle the Muslim rebels in Zamboanga City, where over a hundred residents are being held hostage.
By Shar Adams
9/13/2013
Updated: 9/12/2013
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