By DPA
Manila : The Philippines’ largest Muslim separatist rebel group has offered to abandon some of its camps in the south to avoid hampering a military offensive against Al Qaeda-linked militants, a spokesman said Sunday.
Eid Kabalu, a spokesman for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said the rebel group’s leadership has made the offer as a goodwill and confidence-building gesture ahead of the resumption of peace talks with the government.
He said MILF fighters were prepared to temporarily move out of their camps in Basilan province, 900 km south of Manila, to give way to the military’s offensive against Abu Sayyaf rebels and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) operatives.
“We are prepared to leave the area, on the consideration that the security and livelihood of the families of our fighters are taken care of,” he said.
More than 50 soldiers have been killed in Basilan and nearby Jolo island -another stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf – since July.
While the military continues to have suspicion that some MILF members have ties with Abu Sayyaf or JI militants, the rebel group has denounced terrorism and has vowed to help the Philippine government’s hunt down suspected terrorists.
Peace talks between the MILF and the Philippine government have been stalled since September 2006 over disagreements on what areas would be included in a proposed Muslim homeland.