Four Moslem rebels killed in RP air raid
Four Moslem rebels killed in RP air raid
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (Reuters): Four Moslem rebels were killed and six others wounded when Philippine warplanes bombed an island near the southern city of Zamboanga, the military said yesterday.
The Thursday bombing of Sacol Island was part of a military hunt for the remnants of fleeing bands of Moslem extremists who raided the town of Ipil on April 4 and killed 53 largely unarmed civilians, marine colonel Ponciano Millena told Reuters.
He said the bombing was necessary because ground troops found it hard to pursue the rebels on the island covered mostly by swamp.
"It is very difficult to operate in the swamps which has been the haven of criminals and lawless elements. You could easily get stuck in the mud, making it hard for our men to go after the enemy," he said.
The bombing, which occurred at 15-minute intervals, caused some panic among coastal residents as they felt the ground shake during each attack.
About 40 more rebels are being pursued, including 15 who are believed to have participated in the Ipil raid, Millena said.
More than 200 heavily-armed guerrillas, linked to the Moslem fundamentalist group Abu Sayyaf, caused widespread damage in Ipil, 790 km (490 miles) southwest of Manila.
President Fidel Ramos ordered an all-out offensive against the attackers and gave the military 60 days to round up the rebels. The rebels killed 20 of the hostages they had seized during their flight, survivors said.
The government said its troopers had killed 41 Ipil raiders.
Military checkpoints have been installed in Zamboanga and other major commercial centers on Mindanao Island to prevent a repeat of the raid.
The rebel Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which has entered into peace negotiations with government, has repeatedly denied any participation in the raid.
MNLF chairman Nur Misuari, from his residence in the Middle East, said his group is committed to the peace process.
Meanwhile, police have arrested eight Moslems in a swoop on a Moslem community on Thursday night for illegal possession of firearms. They will be questioned about their links with the Abu Sayyaf.