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.