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Tuesday, April 17, 2007
2 MNLF fighters killed, 1 captured in Sulu clashes
By Ulysses E. Israel
TWO Moro rebels were killed and another was captured in separate clashes with government troops in the southern island province of Sulu, a regional military spokesman said.
MNLF commander Ustadz Habier Malik and his men are being pursued by the military for shelling mortars at government establishments in Panamao town last Friday and Saturday.
Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) spokesman Maj. Eugene Batara said at around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion soldiers while conducting clearing operations at Bitan-ag, Panamao, Sulu encountered undetermined number of armed men believed to be rouge Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) under Habier Malik which left one rebel killed and another captured, he said.
An M16 rifle and an M203 grenade launcher were recovered from the rebels, he said.
Earlier, in the continuing pursuit operations against Malik' s group, at around 12:30 p.m. last Monday, soldiers from the Scout Ranger Battalion also encountered an undetermined number of MNLF rebels in Maubo village, Kalingalan Kaluang town. One rebel was killed and troops recoverered one M16 rifle, another military report said.
Pres. Gloria Arroyo earlier said there would no let-up in military operations against MNLF fighters led by Malik, who has declared a jihad or holy war with the government.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita also said quoting Armed Forces chief Hermogenes Esperon that four battalions or about 2,000 soldiers had been deployed against Malik's group.
Malik, on the other hand, had earlier said he and his men are prepared for a long drawn out battle with the government.
But MNLF Vice-chairman Jimmy Labuan declared that the MNLF leaders were willing to negotiate with the government on condition that the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) would sit as mediator to put an end to the ongoing fresh clashes between the military and Malik group.
They (MNLF) recognized the grievances of Malik but would not go as far as declaring jihad against the government and still open the door for talks, Labuan said.
Malik is said to have declared a jihad after military had killed two MNLF fighters in pursuit operations against the leaders of Abu Sayyaf and members of Jemaah Islamiyah last April 11.
The 57-nation OIC, which brokered the peace talks with the MNLF, still recognizes the group as the sole representative of the Philippines' Muslim minority.
The secretary-general of the OIC has called for an end to the fighting in Jolo. |
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