But of course they sincerely want peace. An update on this story.
“Muslim rebels attack Philippine troops after deal halted,” from AFP, August 6 :
COTABATO, Philippines, Aug 5, 2008 (AFP) – Muslim separatists traded mortar fire with troops in the southern Philippines just hours after the Supreme Court stopped a land deal between them and the government, the military said Tuesday.
The mortar attack by an unknown number of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels on soldiers stationed near Midsayap town lasted for about half an hour late Monday, the military said.
The rebels had taken positions in the town’s outskirts, displacing more than 300 families, in violation of a 2003 ceasefire accord, the military said.
“The MILF fired about a dozen mortars toward army positions,” said regional army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Julieto Ando. “We returned mortar fire, but there were no reports of casualties.”
Ando said the rebels who attacked apparently ignored commands from MILF leadership to leave the area as both sides negotiated a deal on territory….