13 killed as rival Moro rebels clash over land

Manila: Thirteen people were killed, nine others were wounded, and 800 families were displaced by 25 days of clashes between members of two Muslim rebel groups in southern Philippines, authorities said.

Those killed were members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) after the two sides exchanged mortar fire in Nanga-an village in Kabacan, North Cotabato in clashes that began on January 9, said Superintendent Joseph Semillano, police chief of Kabacan town.

One commander, Kineg, led the MILF side while another, Dima Ambil, led the MNLF faction, Semillano said. The two sides have been fighting over dominion of 1,000 hectares of land, said MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu.

The on-and-off clashes which began on January 9, were not sanctioned by the political leaders of the MILF and the MNLF, the reason why the political leaders of the two groups stepped in to stop the clashes from erupting again, said Kabalu.

Representatives of the central committees of the MILF and the MNLF started holding talks with the commanders at war in Kabacan.

Ceasefire deal

A ceasefire was agreed to and the political leaders of the MNLF and the MILF will oversee its implementation, said Kabalu.

Residents called on President Benigno Aquino to end the clashes.

Local government leaders evacuated some 800 residents of Nangaan and Semone villages to safer places.

The Philippine government and the MILF have been holding on-and-off peace talks since 1997.

The Philippine government and the MNLF forged a pro-autonomy peace settlement in 1996, after holding peace talks in 1992.

The agreement resulted in the expansion of the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which has five provinces and one city as current members.

The MILF broke away from the MNLF in 1978.