Photos released by the 1st Infantry Division show MNLF rebels surrendering to soldiers.
ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 26, 2013) – Philippine authorities said more than 40 separatist rebels have surrendered and 6 hostages recovered in Zamboanga City as clearing operations continue on Thursday in at least four areas here.
Officials said 182 rebels had earlier surrendered or captured in several villages here. Six civilians, who were among held captive by rebels, also managed to escape from rebels, bringing to 188 the total number of hostages recovered from the MNLF.
Security forces also captured a mangrove area called Camp Sumatra off Mariki village following an aerial and ground assault that began before dawn.
Soldiers also recovered four speedboats and a motor launch used by the Moro National Liberation Front in transporting rebel forces from Sulu province to the port city of Zamboanga where it launched simultaneous attacks on September 9.
Several shallow graves and bloodied MNLF uniform, weapons and maps of Zamboanga were alsorecovered from the mangrove area.
Nearly 300 rebels had been detained since the fighting began that left close to 400 people dead and wounded.
“Operations are still going and more rebels are surrendering as we continue clearing areas in Zamboanga,” Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman, told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar said curfew will continue in Zamboanga from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. and that work in all offices – both public and private located outside the conflict zone – will be up to managers.
She said classes will also continue in schools outside areas where security operations are going.
“Village officials are urged anew to heighten security in their areas of responsibility,” she said, citing fresh reports that rebels were fleeing military operations.
She said the villages of Santa Barbara, Santa Catalina, Rio Hondo and Mariki. “These villages are unsafe for its residents to go back to and clearing operation is still going on,” Salazar said, adding over 9,000 houses and buildings in those areas had been burned due to the fighting.
The Australian Government today announced it will provide up to P10 million (A$252,000) in emergency aid for families left homeless by the humanitarian crisis in Basilan and Zamboanga City.
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Bill Tweddell said the conflict in Zamboanga and Basilan has created a humanitarian crisis deserving an Australian response. “We are deeply concerned by the recent violence in Mindanao and the effect this has had on local people,” Tweddell said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner. (Mindanao Examiner)
20