Article

2008-11-14 Southeast Asia

Three slain, nine taken hostage in Philippine rebel attacks

Three civilians, including a 5-year-old boy, were killed and nine were taken hostage by Muslim separatist rebels in two attacks in the southern Philippines, police said Friday. The civilians were slain when Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels attacked a military outpost Thursday in Midsayap town in North Cotabato province, 930 kilometres south of Manila, said the town's police chief, Inspector Renante Cabico.

Cabico said the victims were among 150 people caught in the crossfire between the MILF guerrillas and army troops. 'They were visiting relatives when the clashes between the army and the MILF occurred,' he said. 'They were hit by stray bullets as they fled with about 30 families.'

In Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila, MILF rebels stormed two villages in Maluso town and took nine people hostage, said Senior Superintendent Salik Macapantar, provincial police director. Macapantar said the guerrillas raided the villages Friday and took the hostages as they fled. He said government security forces have been dispatched to hunt down the rebels and rescue the captives.

The attacks occurred as the military launched fresh airstrikes against MILF rebel positions in nearby Maguindanao and Lanao del Norte provinces. The military offensives have triggered new evacuations of refugees in the affected areas, according to the International Committee for the Red Cross.

Posted by ryuge 2008-11-14 06:19|| || Front Page|| [14 views ] Top

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