Filipino troops reach a truce

Filipino troops reach a truce

COTABATO, Philippines (Reuter): Troops and separatist guerrillas in the southern Philippines announced a Christmas cease-fire on Saturday and said they would resume peace talks.

Army Brig. Gen. Renato Garcia and Gadzali Gaafar, political affairs chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), told reporters they had ordered their forces to cease-fire and talks would resume today.

Sixteen soldiers and 22 MILF rebels have been killed in the fighting in North Cotabato province on Mindanao island over the past week, armed forces chief Gen. Arturo Enrile said on Friday.

A top Moslem rebel leader had earlier on Saturday urged Manila to withdraw its troops.

Nur Misuari, leader of the mainstream Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), said in a radio interview that Islamic nations viewed the army offensive with suspicion.

"I am urging the armed forces of the Philippines to immediately withdraw from Moro Islamic Liberation Front- controlled (MILF) areas," he said.

The MILF is a breakaway faction of the MNLF, the main Moslem group seeking limited self-rule in the south of the mainly Christian Philippines.

Misuari, who is currently in the Middle East, is due to return to the Philippines for the resumption of peace talks with the government on Moslem autonomy.

Tension in North Cotabato mounted when troops arrived at the site of a major irrigation project in the town of Carmen in August. Sporadic fighting has already claimed up to 80 lives.

MILF rebels had been providing security for South Korean engineers working on the project and the arrival of the soldiers prompted a confrontation.

Work at the irrigation project has since been suspended.