Philippines: End of Ramadan sees heavy fighting on Mindanao Island

COTABATO, 1 October 2008 (IRIN) - Fighting between government troops and separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in the southern Philippines has intensified with the end of Ramadan, military officials told IRIN on 1 October.

Gun battles between MILF soldiers and the government in marshland area near the southern town of Datu Piang on Mindanao Island have left seven soldiers dead and 12 wounded since 29 September.

Clashes also erupted on 1 October in Datu Saudi Ampatuan and Midsayap towns. In Midsayap, an army patrol ran into a 30-strong faction of the MILF, triggering intense fighting. There were no casualties reported on the government side, although military officials said several MILF rebels could have been killed or wounded.

Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Torres told reporters in Manila that the military was bracing for more attacks from the 12,000-strong MILF, which had earlier warned of more hit-and-run attacks after Ramadan.

"There appears to be an escalation of incidents especially in the province of Maguindanao. We expect that as we press on with the pursuit operations, there will be more attacks," Torres said.

He said army successes on the battlefield had "severely degraded" the MILF's capabilities, although with the gunmen now splintered into smaller groups in Mindanao's jungles, they would still be able to carry out surprise attacks.

"We expect the frequency of armed incidents to grow," he said, warning the public to brace itself for more MILF atrocities, including burning of houses and looting of businesses. "We are prepared to counter such possibilities," he said.

The military had downscaled its airstrikes and artillery attacks against MILF positions in deference to Ramadan, but with the holy month over, cannons can now again be used "when confronted with an overwhelming force of MILF", according to Torres.

More than half a million people have been affected, and aid agencies have described the unfolding humanitarian situation as dire. In one instance, a pregnant woman and five children were killed when the military launched an airstrike near Datu Piang three weeks ago.

President Gloria Arroyo has ruled out a resumption of peace talks with the MILF unless they disarm. Large-scale hostilities began on 10 August just days after the Supreme Court issued a freeze order on a deal that would have given the MILF control over a vast autonomous region.

Two senior MILF leaders, Umbra Kato and Abdurahman Macapaar - also known as Commander Bravo - then launched raids across several Mindanao towns, leaving more than 60 civilians dead. They also torched houses and looted business in what the military and security experts said was the biggest outbreak of violence since 2003, when the MILF signed a truce with the government.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had held talks with both the military and the MILF, urging both parties to refrain from entering civilian populations.

"This is the bottom-line [and is] non-negotiable," ICRC country director Felipe Donoso told reporters this week. "We told the army not to use public schools as temporary camps, while the MILF should also not mingle with civilians."

Donoso said the situation "remains tense" with the escalation of attacks. "We are very concerned," he said.

jg /bj/mw