From: "Stasi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The BBC's Jonathan Head in Mindanao: "There are helicopter gunships circulating over my hotel" http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1675000/audio/_1677915_phil22_head.ram Heavy fighting in southern Philippines ========================= http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1677000/1677915.s tm The military decided it was time to act Philippines armed forces have used helicopter gunships to attack a complex held by Muslim guerrillas in the city of Zamboanga. Eyewitnesses reported seeing tracer bullets against the night sky. Military officials say the fighting was between soldiers and a group of followers of the outgoing governor of Mindanao, Nur Misuari, who led an uprising against the Philippines Government last week. The fighting broke out the night after an election was held to elect a new governor for the autonomous Muslim area. Mr Misuari has been arrested in Malaysia but his rebels have refused to leave the complex, vowing to fight to the end. The final stand The BBC's South-East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, who is in Zamboanga, says that after days of an uneasy standoff between the rebels and soldiers surrounding the base, the military had clearly decided to retake it by force. The rebels are followers of Nur Misuari, who led an uprising last week The city was shaken awake in the middle of the night by the sound of explosions and automatic gunfire, and our correspondent says there was some panic among local residents as stray bullets flew across the city. There are reports that civilians are among the casualties. The authorities say Mr Misuari's revolt, which he staged on the nearby island of Jolo, was intended to stop elections for his position as governor of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). He is not standing after being dropped by his party, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Our correspondent says that Mr Misuari lost a lot of support over his performance as governor during the last five years. Allegations of corruption and incompetence meant that the government decided to back alternative candidates within the MNLF. Most people stayed away from the poll in Mindanao on Monday, which was overseen by thousands of extra troops. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: anti
