Presence of civilian hostages dragging Zamboanga crisis—military | Inquirer News

Presence of civilian hostages dragging Zamboanga crisis—military

/ 06:29 PM September 16, 2013

A Philippine soldier on board a truck aims his weapon towards rebel positions as the stand-off between the two sides enters its sixth day in Zamboanga on September 14, 2013. Philippine troops were clearing out the last remaining Muslim rebels after a six-day operation in the south that killed dozens of militants and allowed scores of hostages to flee, officials said on September 14. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE

MANILA, Philippines — The Zamboanga crisis has dragged into its second week because Moro National Liberation Front rebels are holding civilian hostages within a populated area, military spokesmen said Monday.

“The presence of the civilians is a big factor on the matter … We cannot just simply go after (the rebels) just like that because we might be hitting civilians in the process. And again the President’s directive is to ensure that the civilians are protected or not brought to harm’s way or not brought in the crossfire,” Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Brigadier General Domingo Tutaan Jr. told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo Monday.

Article continues after this advertisement

“The reason we are doing a calibrated military operation as opposed to an all-out offensive is because of the presence of the civilians and hostages. I’m not saying it’s dragging. But we’re being careful,” said AFP public affairs chief Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala II in a phone interview from Zamboanga City.

FEATURED STORIES

He said attack helicopters were deployed Monday for only a “short” period of time to provide “close air support” to the ground troops.

“It was limited, just enough to suppress. We will not use excessive combat power,” Zagala said.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

TAGS: AFP, Government, Insurgency, Military, Regions

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.