Five slain in rebel attacks in Philippines
Two Muslim rebels, two soldiers and a policeman were slain in separate clashes between government forces and insurgents in the southern Philippines, officials said yesterday.
A member of the Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremist group was shot dead and three comrades captured late Friday after they clashed with police as they were preparing to kidnap a grocery store owner in the southern island of Jolo, said Senior Superintendent Julasirim Kasim, the provincial police chief.
Meanwhile, guerrillas of the Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) attacked government forces in Kalamansig town before dawn Saturday, resulting in the death of one policeman and one MILF fighter, said military spokesman Major Armand Rico.
Elsewhere in the south, two soldiers were killed when their convoy was ambushed in Talaingod town Saturday by guerrillas of the communist insurgent New People's Army (NPA), Rico added.
The government has a ceasefire in place with the MILF to negotiate forpeace but two MILF commanders led their forces in attacks on communities after the Supreme Court suspended a draft agreement with the rebels on August 4.
The Abu Sayyaf, which has been linked by security agencies to the Al-Qaeda terror network, and the NPA have both been listed as terrorist organisations by the United States and are not covered by any ceasefire.
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