Link TV·
Published on Sep 20, 2013
On
September 9th, as many as 200 heavily armed separatists from the Moro
National Liberation Front attacked the city of Zamboanga. Over 100
people have been killed, and tens of thousands displaced. LinkAsia's
Noel Tarrazona reports from Zamboanga City, and then we speak with the
Asia Foundation's Philippines country representative, Steven Rood.
Watch more at http://linkasia.org.PHOTO: Government soldiers take cover near armoured vehicles as they try to assault the positions of Muslim rebels from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), during a gunbattle in Zamboanga city in southern Philippines: REUTERS/Erik De Castro
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Philippine president calls on rebels to surrender
Bullit Marquez / AP Photo
Smoke rises in sporadic fighting between government forces and Muslim rebels Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013 in Zamboanga city in southern Philippines. Life in the city at the center of a hostage crisis is slowly returning to normal, as troops went house-to-house Wednesday searching for the remaining Muslim rebels and their hostages in a standoff that displaced more than 100,000 people.
Published: Thursday, Sep. 19, 2013 - 3:20 am
Last Modified: Thursday, Sep. 19, 2013 - 4:00 am
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines --
The Philippine president called on the last rebel holdouts holding
residents hostage in coastal communities in the south to surrender
Thursday and prevent further bloodshed as a major government offensive
to end an 11-day standoff crawled toward an end.
More than 200 Moro National Liberation Front rebels stormed five communities on the coastal outskirts of Zamboanga city on Sept. 9 and took about 200 residents hostage. A ground, sea and air offensive by 4,500 soldiers and police has left about 40 insurgents holding around 20 hostages, officials said.
Assault troops have calibrated their firepower to protect trapped civilians, slowing down an offensive by an overwhelming number of troops, the military said.
Fresh clashes killed an army commando and six rebels Thursday. Some of the gunmen set clusters of houses on fire in the hard-hit community of Sta. Catalina in an apparent effort to cover their escape, while 15 insurgents, all looking famished and exhausted, emerged from a mangrove and surrendered, police said.
Read More HereMore than 200 Moro National Liberation Front rebels stormed five communities on the coastal outskirts of Zamboanga city on Sept. 9 and took about 200 residents hostage. A ground, sea and air offensive by 4,500 soldiers and police has left about 40 insurgents holding around 20 hostages, officials said.
Assault troops have calibrated their firepower to protect trapped civilians, slowing down an offensive by an overwhelming number of troops, the military said.
Fresh clashes killed an army commando and six rebels Thursday. Some of the gunmen set clusters of houses on fire in the hard-hit community of Sta. Catalina in an apparent effort to cover their escape, while 15 insurgents, all looking famished and exhausted, emerged from a mangrove and surrendered, police said.
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