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Zamboanga [Agencies]........................
An estimated 18,000 people have fled their homes as the military stepped up a
major offensive Tuesday against Muslim separatists linked to terrorists in Mindanao, an official said. The fighting raged as US President George W. Bush announced Monday he
planned to designate the Philippines a full US military ally after talks in the White House with
Philippine leader Gloria Arroyo, a key backer of the US-led global fight
against terrorism. Armed forces spokesman Lieutenant General Rodolfo Garcia
said government forces have flushed out about 300 members of the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) who had occupied the town of Munai in Lanao del Norte province.
The rebels and several leaders of the MILF, the countryŐs biggest Muslim
separatist group, were believed to have fled to surrounding hinterland areas
following the military offensive launched Saturday. "Our troops however
are continuing pursuit operations against the said leaders" now believed
hiding in Mount Gurain near Munai town, Garcia told reporters. He said the
operations were hampered by bad weather. Asked how many had been displaced by
the fighting, he said: "Around 18,000 heads. Fighting is still ongoing
and they are evacuated in towns in Lanao del Sur." The military claimed
to have killed at least 60 MILF rebels in the first wave of assault up to
Monday.
But the MILF remained unfazed. It even warned the US against helping the
local military in assaults against the insurgents. Eid Kabalu, spokesman of
the MILF, said the group would not harm the US troops if they do not actively
help in the governmentŐs fight with the rebels. "But if they help the
government, that is another story. We cannot just sit down and allow them to
kill us. That would be illogical," Kabalu told AFP by phone from his
base in the southern Philippines. Kabalu also acknowledged the group faced
military bombardments but denied sustaining heavy casualties. He said there
have been no major ground engagements yet.
"We donŐt have casualties," Kabalu told AFP by phone from his base
in the southern Philippines. Garcia said the military was trying to clear the
grounds after reports showed the rebels had left behind anti-personnel mines.
Military offensives were also continuing in other areas of the main southern
island of Mindanao against the MILF, which the military has linked to the
Jemaah Islamiyah regional terror network blamed for the deadly Bali bombings
last year. The JI is believed to be the Southeast Asian arm of Osama bin
LadenŐs al-Qaeda network. MILF guerrillas have also been blamed for a wave of
bombings and raids that have claimed nearly 100 lives in the south since
March.
Kabalu again rejected Tuesday government claims the MILF was linked to the JI
terror organization. "We are not engaged in terrorism or terroristic
activities." President Gloria Arroyo before departing for the United
States Saturday gave the military the green light to conduct "selective
aerial and artillery attacks to dislodge embedded terrorist cells" in
the south. Bush on Monday said he planned to designate the Philippines a
major "non-NATO ally" and praised Arroyo for her unflinching
support to the US-led global war on terrorism.
Bush praised Arroyo for steadfastly backing the US-led war on terrorism and
said his government considered the Philippines a key "non-NATO
ally." Bush also urged the MILF to "abandon the path of
violence." "If it does so, and addresses its grievances through
peaceful negotiations, then the United States will provide diplomatic and
financial support to a renewed peace process," Bush said. But he added
that his government was prepared to assist the Philippine military in terms
of training and providing equipment.
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