ZAMBOANGA, Nov 27: Twenty-seven people were killed on Tuesday when the Philippines military launched air strikes to evict Muslim rebel leader Nur Misuari’s armed followers from this southern Philippines port city.

About 30 surviving gunmen retreated from a government complex they had occupied for a week at a strategic hilltop overlooking Zamboanga, taking with them civilian hostages “estimated to be 30 to 40”, Brigadier General Edilberto Adan said.

The rebels warned they would kill their remaining captives, mostly Christians.

Their 12-kilometre retreat to the village of Pasonanca followed an eight-hour battle for control of the hilltop that left 25 guerrillas, one soldier and a civilian dead, military spokesman Adan added. Fifteen other people were wounded.

Shortly before the gunmen pulled out, senior Muslim government leaders held talks with the gunmen and won the release of two women and nine children. The Red Cross earlier told the military there were 50 civilian hostages inside the complex.

Lieutenant General Roy Cimatu, the senior military commander in the southern Philippines, promised President Gloria Arroyo “to resolve the conflict by sundown,” her National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said in Manila.

Ground attack aircraft resumed bombing runs of the complex mid-afternoon to mop up stragglers, said staff on the scene.—AFP