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Philippine military assault on Muslim rebels |
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September 26, 2000
JOLO, (AP) - More than 36,000 villagers have fled their homes to escape a heavy military assault on Muslim rebels holding 17 hostages on a small southern Philippine island, more than twice the number earlier reported, officials said Monday. Military officials said troops were still searching for the hostages, including four foreigners, and gave no indication of when the assault by more than 4,000 troops would end. Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado said two Abu Sayyaf rebels were killed in a clash Monday, bringing the number of guerrillas believed dead in 10 days of fighting on Jolo island to 105. One government soldier has been killed and six others wounded, the military says. Unconfirmed reports continued to grow of civilian casualties and heavy damage to villages from the attack. But the military insists only one civilian has been killed and four injured. Independent verification has been impossible because the military has blocked access to many areas of Jolo and has tried to keep journalists away. For the first time Monday, the military escorted a group of 37 journalists for a brief, tightly controlled tour of the island's capital and an evacuation center and then took them back to Zamboanga, a city 110 kilometers (85 miles) away. Brigadier General Narciso Abaya, who initially predicted the assault would be over in six days, said the military is no longer estimating how long it will take. "Before you can rescue them you have to find them," he said. "This is a very difficult mission. They just keep on running. They don't fight us." Abaya acknowledged that the military still had little information about the location of three Malaysians kidnapped Sept. 10 from a Malaysian resort and brought to Jolo by boat. The Abu Sayyaf rebels are also holding an American and 13 Filipinos. Most of the 36,313 evacuees are staying with relatives or friends, and less than one-third are in overcrowded evacuation centers, military officials said. The military had previously said 14,000 people had fled their homes. In the village of Pasil, one woman evacuee, Norain Iting, said she was told by the mother of a dead civilian that marines had prevented her from recovering the body. Many civilians on the predominantly Muslim island appeared afraid to speak out, although some said they were willing to sacrifice to get rid of the rebels. For the first time Monday, relief goods reached Pasil in Indanan municipality in the hills of western Jolo. Cannons in Pasil bombarded Mount Tumantangis in Indanan, where rebel commander Ghalib "Robot" Andang is reported to have recently fled with his followers, Col. Romeo Tolentino said. Local officials have said troops were nearing a separate rebel faction holding American Jeffrey Schilling, of Oakland, California, in eastern Jolo, but Abaya refused to comment. Two French television journalists escaped from the rebels last week after being held since early July. The separatist Abu Sayyaf have kidnapped scores of people since March. Most have been released, with Libya and Malaysia reportedly paying more than dlrs 15 million for 19 foreigners. The government halted talks and attacked the rebels on Sept. 16 after they kidnapped the three Malaysians despite a promise to halt abductions while negotiations were underway. Schilling, who converted to Islam in 1994, was abducted Aug. 28 when he visited a rebel camp with his Filipino wife, who is related to several rebels. He says the rebels seized him after they argued over politics and religion. The government's decision to attack the rebels has been widely supported by Filipinos. Admiral Dennis Blair, commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Command, discussed formation of a Philippine counterterrorism force in a meeting Monday with Mercado, officials said. The United States will help provide equipment, training and technology, Mercado said. "We feel this is a long-term solution to the problem ... that will allow us to sleep more comfortably in the face of kidnapping and terroristic acts that have somehow put our country sadly in the map of public attention in the international community," he said. |