By Xinhua,
Manila : Forty nine people have been killed and more than 48,000 families have been displaced in southern Philippine region of Mindanao since last week, the national disaster relief agency said Sunday.
In its 6 a.m. Sunday update, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said the civilians have died as a result of the fighting between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and government troops.
NDCC’s report showed that a total of 48,050 families, or 240,101 people, have been affected by the skirmishes.
Glenn Rabonza, Office of Civil Defense administrator and NDCC’s executive officer, said families of the fatalities will receive 10,000 pesos (219.8 U.S. dollars) each in financial assistance.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Philippine National Red Cross, local government units and the United Nations World Food Programme have been providing relief supplies to the refugees who fled war-torn hometowns.
Meanwhile, the military reported Saturday that at least 100 MILF members were killed, as the biggest air strike and ground offensive continued for three straight days to catch two MILF commanders, Ameril Umbra Kato and Abdullah Makapaar, among others.
Lieutenant Colonel Julieto Ando, a military spokesman, said 24 government troops were also injured since skirmishes broke out Wednesday despite the MILF’s claim of 13 deaths from the government side.
Violence has escalated in the southern Philippines over the past weeks after a territorial pact, scheduled for Aug. 5 to have been inked between the government and the MILF, was suspended by the Supreme Court on the eve of signing.
Earlier this week, the Philippine government decided to “review” the pact and announced that it would not resume peace talks with the separatists until the radicals involved in the attacks on civilians were surrendered.
The 12,000-strong MILF have been fighting for self-rule since 1978, and signed a cease-fire with the government in 2003. The peace talks between the government and the rebel group have been on and off over the past years.