Update | Philippine school siege ends with dozens of hostages freed by fleeing militants
The gunmen reportedly rigged some areas of the school with home-made bombs, according to some of the freed captives
Militants who used civilians as human shields while occupying a Philippine school fled last night, and all 31 hostages were safe, a military spokesperson said.
“It’s all resolved, all the hostages have been accounted for, no one was hurt,” national military spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said.
Earlier, gunmen from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters manoeuvred to attack troop and militiamen outposts but were repelled by government forces, prompting them to seize villagers as human shields in Malagakit village in North Cotabato province, military officials said.
At least four rebels were killed and two government militiamen were wounded in the fighting, which caused nearly 1,000 villagers in Malagakit and two nearby villages to flee to safety, the officials said.
The retreating gunmen, estimated by the military and police to number from 200 to 300, occupied a school building, where they sporadically traded shots with troops up to nightfall, said local army spokesman Captain Arvin Encinas.
During a lull in the gunbattle, 31 people, including a dozen children, were either allowed to dash to freedom or escaped from the school. Six other villagers remained in rebel custody, according to army brigade spokesman Captain Nap Alcarioto, before being freed also.
