COTABATO (Philippines), FEBURARY 18: At least 22 Muslim guerrillas and two soldiers have died in fierce fighting in the southern Philippines after security forces launched an offensive on a rebel camp, the military said on Friday.Twenty-two soldiers and six civilians have been wounded in battles between government forces and the Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front's (MILF) following the attack starting Wednesday on the MILF's camp Omar in the province of Maguindanao, 850 kilometers south of Manila, military officials said.About 100 guerrillas on their way to reinforce camp Omar seized two villages on the border of Maguindanao and north Cotabato on Thursday, trapping hundreds of residents but later left before dawn Friday, local army spokesman captain Lito Aso said.In what is believed to be a diversionary tactic, another group of about 100 MILF rebels entered and occupied the village of Kauran, Ampatuan town before dawn today before retreating in the face of military attacks, army major Julieto Ando added.About 2,000 families, most of them Christian settlers, fled the village, but seven villagers, including a school principal, his wife and son and a church worker, were taken by the rebels who are using them as human shields, Ando said.Helicopter gunships continued to harass the retreating rebels who appeared to be heading towards camp Omar, Ando added.The tension in Ampatuan forced the closure of a major high way linking the cities of Cotabato and general Santos, the military said.
