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Filipino Army Violates Own Ramadan Truce
by Kazi Mahmood for IslamOnline
JAKARTA (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - In a not surprising move, the Philippines armed forces attacked yet another base of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the south, killing 10 separatists and capturing two camps Friday.
The government had said on the eve of Ramadan that it imposed a unilateral suspension of military operations for the holy month and invited the Muslims of the MILF to observe the same truce.
Following the raids, the MILF announced it was rejecting the government’s ceasefire. MILF spokesperson Eid Kabalu reportedly said, by breaking its own ceasefire, the government provided further proof of the “gross insincerity” of its own ceasefire initiative.
Kabalu said proof was again given to the world that the Filipino government of President Joseph Estrada could not keep its word. He added if the government was really sincere in resumption of peace talks, “Show us some kind of sincerity.”
Southern Command spokesman Colonel Hilario Atendido said operations by the 401st Infantry Battalion, the 20th Infantry Battalion, and the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion led to the taking to Camp Aliben Talih and Camp Old Bushra.
The assaults, in turn, forced the surrender of 159 separatists, the military claimed, saying the separatists also turned in 156 firearms.
Kabalu claimed the Armed Forces simultaneously attacked three MILF positions inside Camp Abubakar, Maguindanao. Shelling continued in Camp Bushra, he said.
“Yesterday at about noontime, they simultaneously carried out an attack against MILF positions in Barira; and then in Sultan Bise, in Buldon, and Pomopogan, [and] also in Buldon. These are all inside Camp Abubakar,” Kabalu said.
“In Camp Bushra also, shelling is continuous right now.”
Despite the separatist’s observance of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Kabalu said the military move left them with no choice but to fight.
“In situations like these, we have no alternatives except to fire back. Despite of these, we are supposed to solemnly observe this holy month of Ramadan, we cannot do otherwise,” he added.
The Army denied initial reports on 22 alleged military casualties and insisted only one soldier, Sergeant Rolando Ortega of the 63rd Infantry Battalion, was wounded.
Government forces recovered two rocket propelled grenades (RPG), 13 rounds of 90mm Recoilless rifle, 12 rounds of 81mm mortar and hundreds of rounds of assorted 50mm caliber ammunition.
Military officials, carrying a public relations campaign against the MILF said the separatists who surrendered on Friday complained of hardships and discontent over the separatist leadership style.
The movement, however, said that military intelligence attempts to sow division within the MILF would not diminish the group’s strength.
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