Fresh fighting erupts in RP

Fresh fighting erupts in RP

COTABATO, Philippines (AFP): Fresh fighting between Moslem
rebels and government troops erupted in the troubled south
Saturday, despite a new cease-fire pact and scheduled peace
talks, officials said.

About 100 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels pounded
four army detachments with mortar and grenade launchers outside
this southern Philippine city, only hours after a cease-fire took
effect.

"The MILF launched simultaneous attacks at 9:45 (0145 GMT)
this morning against four detachments. Because of that we had to
retaliate," said local army spokesman Captain Julieto Ando.

Fighting in surrounding areas was continuing as dusk
approached but the soldiers have been instructed "not to move and
not to fire back" in a bid to save the peace talks from totally
collapsing, Ando told AFP.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in the latest
outbreak of hostilities, in Matanog town in Maguindanao province,
which came after the cease-fire was called at 6:00 a.m. (2200
GMT).