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By Al Jacinto Correspondent
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) on Wednesday accused the Philippine military of launching
attacks on them in Basilan, which the rebels claimed violated the
truce in the southern island of Mindanao.
In return, the Armed Forces of
the Philippines will look into reports that the MILF is aiding Abu
Sayyaf bandits that the military are fighting also in Basilan
Island.
The fighting, which began Tuesday
in Tipo-Tipo town, left two soldiers dead, according to the Western
Mindanao Command spokesman, Maj. Eugene Batara.
The MILF claimed government
troops attacked their forces in the villages of Baguindan and
Silangkum, sparking daylong clashes. “The Philippine military has
again violated the ceasefire agreement. Government troops attacked
MILF forces without provocation,” Eid Kabalu, a rebel spokesman,
told The Manila Times. Kabalu also denied reports that 10 MILF
rebels were killed.
For its part, the Armed Forces is
probing reports that MILF rebels are reinforcing Abu Sayyaf bandits
battling elite government troops since Tuesday. The military chief,
Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., said they were surprised when troops
engaged 60 to 70 Abu Sayyaf bandits when they were reported to have
only 30 fighters in Basilan.
“We are verifying the matter of
involvement of the MILF . . . but until then we want to have that
validated,” Esperon said in a press briefing. If indeed the MILF
are aiding the Abu Sayyaf, the military official said they would
file a complaint before Joint Coordinating Committee on Cessation of
Hostilities for proper action.
The Armed Forces chief said that
based on an earlier agreement with the MILF, the secessionist group
will stay put at Barangay Guinanta in Al-Barkah town to give way to
the military operations against the Abu Sayyaf.
However, Supt. Salik Macapantar,
Basilan police chief, on Wednesday, confirmed the fighting in
Tipo-Tipo town were between government forces and Abu Sayyaf
militants, backed by MILF rebels.
It was not known how the latest
fighting would affect the peace talks, which have been stalled since
last year, after the government and MILF failed to sign agreements
related to ancestral domain issues.
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