World | Philippines
Troops kill seven Moro fighters and seize camp
Army troops backed by rocket-firing helicopters killed seven Muslim rebels in a clash and seized an abandoned rebel training camp in separate victories in a monthlong offensive in the southern Philippines, the military said on Thursday.
- AP
- Published: 00:18 September 19, 2008
Manila: Army troops backed by rocket-firing helicopters killed seven Muslim rebels in a clash and seized an abandoned rebel training camp in separate victories in a monthlong offensive in the southern Philippines, the military said on Thursday.
Government forces have been hunting three commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front who attacked several predominantly Christian communities after negotiations on an expanded Muslim homeland stalled last month.
The bloody clashes have left Malaysian-brokered peace talks in tatters. In the latest fighting, more than 100 guerrillas opened fire Wednesday on dozens of soldiers who advanced toward a rebel mountain stronghold near Calanogas township in Lanao del Sur province, killing a soldier and wounding eight others, regional army spokesman Agane Adriatico said.
Troops
The outnumbered troops sought support from army artillery and air force helicopter gunships. At least seven rebels were killed and many more were wounded in the 45-minute clash, Adriatico said, citing intercepted rebel radio communications. The guerrillas retreated toward a forest and were being pursued by troops, he said.
"They are running out of space to run and hide," Adriatico said, referring to the three wanted commanders, Abdullah Macapaar, Aleem Sulaiman Pangalian and Umbra Kato.
Three battalions
Separately, about 500 soldiers from three army battalions captured on Wednesday an abandoned major training camp used by Macapaar and his men in the mountains near the boundary of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur provinces, military spokesman Ernesto Torres said.
The sprawling camp has a firing range, obstacle course, water tank, fish pond, a mosque and living quarters for an unspecified number of rebels. Macapaar has more than 1,000 men, Torres said.
Government troops have captured four major rebel camps and 15 smaller ones since their offensive began last month, he said.
At least 22 soldiers have been killed and more than 100 wounded in the clashes, which eased with the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
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