As fighting continues in the southern Philippines, army officers have held a news conference to announce that Muslim rebels are retreating, taking their foreign and local hostages with them. The army launched its major offensive yesterday in an effort to free the hostages, who have been held captive for months.
The authorities in Manila have said that, according to their information, the hostages being held by Muslim separatists are still alive, although four soldiers have been wounded. Malaysia has sent troops to its eastern maritime border with the Philippines with orders to shoot any guerrillas who attempt to cross into Malaysian territory on sight.
Four Muslim extremist kidnappers have been killed and four soldiers injured in the military operation to rescue the 22 hostages, according to Defence Secretary Orlando Mercado. He was unable to comment on the whereabouts or condition of any of the hostages, although he said he had not received any reports of casualties among the group who were held on the southern island of Jolo. France and Malaysia both expressed concern at the operation, saying that they fear for the safety of their nationals who are being held by the rebels.
Manila newspapers are reporting a much higher death toll, The Philippine Inquirer has reported 200 civilians injured. The government has cordoned off the island preventing independent verification of the reports. The Defence Secretary said that 18 other armed guerrillas were detained yesterday, when they tried to escape Jolo by boat. He said that the government had not yet discussed the reported appeal by an Abu Sayyaf leader for a ceasefire to negotiate the release of the captives.
