Thousands flee on third day of Philippine rebel siege
Over 13,000 people cram into Zamboanga city sports stadium as fresh fighting breaks out between soldiers and rebels
Thousands of residents fled as fresh fighting broke out on Wednesday between Philippine security forces and Muslim rebels, on the third day of a deadly siege in a key southern city, officials said.
At least 13,000 people crammed into Zamboanga city sports stadium seeking safety as soldiers and rebels fought street battles in deserted coastal neighbourhoods nearby, a photographer on the scene said.
“We’re trying our best to provide decent facilities for them,” government social worker Beth Dy said, but added the venue only had four portable toilets and no available bedding.
It appears that what happened is not hostage-taking but more of them being turned into human shields by the MNLF forces
About 5,000 residents from the six communities under siege arrived overnight and some had no choice but to pitch makeshift tents on the grass, she added.
In the settlement of Santa Catalina, three kilometres away, Philippine marines exchanged fire on Wednesday with gunmen who were using 10 residents on a roadside as apparent human shields, a photographer said.
One of the residents was waving a white cloth tied to a pole, he added.
People began fleeing the siege areas early on Monday when about 180 Moro National Liberation Front guerrillas poured into six coastal neighbourhoods of the port city of nearly one million people, triggering firefights with soldiers and police.
The six communities are home to 160,000 mainly Muslim residents, according to local officials, who said about 180 residents were being used as “human shields” by the gunmen.