Philippine military says 6 rebels killed in clash

Source: Xinhua | 05-13-2009 14:51

COTABATO, the Philippines, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Six Muslim rebels were killed in a clash with government troops in the Philippine southern region of Mindanao, an Army official said Wednesday.

A half-hour fight-fire erupted Tuesday when around 20 rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country's largest militant group, stormed a military outpost in Paradise village of North Cotabato province, regional military spokesman Major Randolph Cabangbang told Xinhua by phone.

Cabangbang said there are no casualties on the government side but soldiers managed to kill six rebels.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabaku, however, denied the military's count of rebel casualties.

He said the engagement of fire-fight was not a rebel leadership-sanctioned attack.

Peace talks between the government and the 11,800-member MILF collapsed in August 2008 after the two sides failed to sign an agreement on ancestral domain, prompting some rebel commanders to launch deadly attacks on Christian communities in Mindanao.

Ancestral domain issue refers to the MILF's demand for territory that will constitute a Muslim homeland.

It is the last remaining hurdle for a final political settlement that is expected to end the four decades of Muslim insurgency that has claimed more than 120,000 lives. Once signed, both sides are expected to work towards a final peace deal that would include plans for the future of the MILF rebels.

Editor:Zhang Yun