Hundreds of troops killed - MILF

MANILA, Philippines - Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines said yesterday they have killed more than 500 government troops in 10 months of fighting since the collapse of peace talks, a claim the military dismissed as propaganda.

The 11,500-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front also accused government for-ces of deliberately burning 2,000 houses, killing villagers suspecting of supporting the guerrillas, bombing a mosque and blocking food for displaced residents.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. Romero Brawner denied the rebel claims, calling them “pure, black propaganda.”

The rebels are fighting for Muslim self-rule in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation’s south. There are no reliable independent casualty counts, but estimates of the death toll in fighting since the 1970s when the rebellion began range as high as 120,000.

Both sides have largely respected a 2003 truce, but clashes have resumed since the Philippine Supreme Court last August scrapped a preliminary peace deal that would have expanded an autonomous Muslim region on the main southern island of Mindanao.

Chief rebel negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said unrelenting military air and ground attacks have caused widespread destruction and suffering in predominantly Muslim communities, prompting his group to allow commanders to strike back at troops.

“We have tried to observe the cease-fire,” Iqbal said. “But when they began to hit us, we have to hit back.”

The military said it is targeting three rebel commanders who went on a deadly rampage in Christian communities after the self-rule deal was abandoned.

A 45-page rebel report seen by The Associated Press said at least 548 soldiers have died and 49 others have been wounded in the 10 months of fighting. In the biggest single-day loss, 78 Army soldiers were killed in the Aug. 23 clash in Maasim township in Sarangani province, the report said. The military did not report any casualties that day.

The fighting in at least seven provin-ces has also killed at least 20 pro-government militiamen, 20 rebel fighters and 20 civilians, the report said.

Both sides have reported conflicting numbers of casualties, accusing each other of fabricating figures.

Different military reports indicate a few dozen soldiers have been killed in the 10-month conflict, but Brawner said the military has tried to avoid announcing those figures and an estimate of rebels killed – although it does disclose all military fatalities to next-of-in.

Brawner suggested that the rebel death toll was massive, saying on average each military airstrike killed 20 guerrillas.    – AP