3 Marines dead, 6 wounded as troops continue clearing ops in Zambo

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Government troops are now  in a “critical” phase in their clearing operation as rebels of the Nur Misuari- led faction of the  Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) have splintered and scattered among rooms of burned houses in the conflict zone here, officials said.

“This is the critical phase of the clearing operations as troops have to search house to house and rooms to rooms because the rebels who managed to escape might have hidden in the ruins of the villages,” said Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, designated spokesman of the government forces operations here.

On Thursday,  three Marines were killed while six others were wounded in a close-quarter combat against the rebels who shot the troopers from peepholes in walls and rooms of burned houses.

Zagala said the soldiers and combat police are carefully approaching the area to dodge rebels' shots.

He said  that owing to the critical phase of search and clearing operations,  they could not impose any deadline to conclude the operations to ensure that all corners of the conflict zone  have been cleared of rebels’ presence and bombs planted in the area.

As this developed, at least 17 rebels, including a female warrior, were captured Thursday during the clearing operations in Sta. Catalina and Sta. Barbara areas.

The rebels were brought to the advance command post and were later brought to the city police office for police profiling, finger printing, mug shot, and paraffin test.