OPERATION DURING 18 HOURS BY PHILIPPINE MILITARY SAVE MORE 100 HOSTAGES

Manila, 11 Dzulqa’idah 1434/17 September 2013 (MINA) – In the last 18 hours in Zamboanga City, Philippines army successful rescuing more than 100 hostages retained by Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) fighters.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima said at least 120 hostages had been rescued Tuesday, Philippines News Agency (PNA) quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Purisima said this brought to 150 the hostages rescued so far, even as efforts to get the other hostages are continuing.

Three soldiers were killed while another 10 were wounded.

“Three soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice to rescue the hostages. Ten other soldiers were injured in the tug of war for the hostages,” 7th Civil Relation Group commander Major Harold Cabunoc said on his Twitter account.

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“We want to protect the hostages even from our own bullets during the firefight. We are ready to face the risks to end this conflict,” Cabunoc pointed out.

Meanwhile, MNLF in North Cotabato has assured the government and the military they will remain loyal to the 1996 peace agreement and will not sympathize with the group of Nur Misuari.

Dima Ambel, the aging MNLF leader in the province, said they will not follow the action of the followers of Misuari in Zamboanga City and Basilan.

The 70-year-old Ambil who chairs the Sebangen Kutawato Revolutionary State of the MNLF’s “Sema Group,” had assured police and military authorities that his followers are ready to help prevent any Misuari followers in the province from creating problem in North Cotabato.

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“We are tired of war, we have experience the cruelty of violence to our own people, we are living in peace here,” Ambil said. (T/P09/E1).

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).