14 killed in Muslim rebel attacks in southern Philippines

Manila, Dec 26 (AP/UNB) – A Philippine military spokeswoman says Christmas attacks by Muslim rebels against Christian communities in the country’s volatile south have left at least 14 people dead. Regional military spokeswoman Capt. Joan Petinglay says the dead included nine Christian villagers gunned down by Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter insurgents and at least five rebels killed by government forces in clashes in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao and North Cotabato. Petinglay says around 200 rebels took part in the attacks. She says the military learned about the impending attacks and secured towns and villages and warned villagers not to venture out, preventing a larger number of casualties. The rebels broke off from the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front when the latter entered into peace talks with the government.