ZAMBOANGA (Philippines), Aug 24: Fighting between Islamic rebels and Philippine troops intensified on Sunday, dimming hopes of renewed peace talks with the southern separatists, government and military officials said.

More than 100 Muslim fighters have been killed in four days of clashes with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Mindanao island, said military spokesman Colonel Julieto Ando.

About 90,000 people have been displaced by the upsurge in fighting, according to local and foreign relief agencies operating in the region where government troops have battled Muslim fighters for 40 years.

“Fighting intensified overnight with battles raging near the towns of Datu Saudi Ampatuan and Datu Piang, all in Maguindanao province,” said Ando, who blamed recent rebels attacks for the deteriorating situation.

“We have done our best to embrace peace, but the MILF started the hostilities by pillaging villages and murdering innocent civilians in Mindanao,” Ando said.

“Now we are implementing the full force of the law and we will arrest those responsible for the traitorous attacks against civilians.” The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said on Sunday that more than 240,000 people have been displaced since the fighting began two weeks ago.

The NDCC put the number killed in two weeks at 50, conflicting with military figures.

Glenn Rabonza, NDCC executive officer, said nearly 100 evacuation centres have been set up across the affected areas in Mindanao.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Philippine National Red Cross, local government relief agencies and the United Nations World Food Programme are providing relief supplies to the evacuees.

MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal warned of a return to full-scale hostilities.

“This is a grim scenario and I don’t even want to think about it, but if the peace talks collapse then there will be war again in Mindanao,” he said.

Iqbal blamed hawkish factions of President Gloria Arroyo’s government and local Christian politicians opposed to a Muslim homeland.

“The voice of reason is dwarfed by the voice of hatred and prejudice,” he said. “The peace talks are slowly breaking apart and if this continues, may God help us all.” Talks to end the insurgency have been going on for 11 years, with a ceasefire officially in force since 2003.

The peace accord would have granted Muslims their own separate state across more than 700 villages in Mindanao, but the Supreme Court on Aug 4 halted the so-called Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.

The peace plan had sparked a series of protests from mostly Christian politicians and residents opposed to the inclusion of their areas into the so-called Bangsamoro (Muslim) Juridical Entity.

Several rebel MILF commanders have since ignored repeated calls by their leaders to stand down and launched attacks on civilians in towns and villages in many parts of Muslim Mindanao.

Some politicians have urged villagers to arm and defend themselves from rebel attacks. Armed militias have also been deployed to guard their communities against further atrocities.

On Saturday MILF chairman Ebrahim Murad called on Malaysia to help resume the peace talks to end weeks of brutal fighting in Mindanao.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said the government would continue to pursue peace negotiations with the rebels even if the government enjoys a military advantage over them.—AFP