AFP says fighting in Zambo now at 'close quarters': House to house, room to room

State troops are now engaging Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members in Zamboanga city at a closer range as the crisis there enters its 15th day, the military said Monday.

Military spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said in a "24 Oras" report "close quarters battles" are now occurring in the city between the two sides.  

"It simply means that you are fighting in a close space, either house or building. Your enemy is near you as you fight from room to room or house to house," Zagala said in a separate text message.

The distance between state troops and rebels can range from 20 meters to a much closer 5 meters, he added.

The rebels in the area have been reduced from 200 to 300 when they first entered the city to around 40 as of Monday, the military said.

But while the military is hopeful that the standoff may end soon, they could not specify a date for its peaceful resolution, according to reports from "24 Oras" on Monday.

"There are no indications na susuko sila. What we do know is konti na lang ang putok nila for the past few days," Zagala said in the report.

"Sa ngayon, ang morale ng ating sandatahang Pilipinas ay napakataas... Dito mo nakita ang firm resolve ng kasundaluhan natin na tapusin ang labanang ito," he added.

The city remains marred with burned houses and sounds of firefight, with soldiers also struggling with MNLF snipers targeting them from a distance, the "24 Oras" reports show.

Attack helicopters can also be seen firing rockets on rebels spotted in a mangrove area in Barangay Mariki.

In Barangay Kasanyangan, around a thousand houses were burned due to fires started by escaping rebels, the military said.

The army has also recovered Molotov cocktails believed to have been made to set houses on fire, which has become a daily occurrence in the city.

They even recovered drug paraphernalia supposedly used by MNLF snipers to keep awake, according to the report.

Some residents in Barangay Santa Maria put up Philippine flags in their homes to show support for the government.

"Hindi natin aalisin ang flag na 'yan hanggang hindi matatapos itong giyera... Ayaw namin ng ibang flag," resident Lenny Julgan said in the report.

Reportedly more than 100 followers of MNLF founder Nur Misuari, as well as 12 soldiers on the military side, have been killed in the conflict. The MNLF first entered the city on Sept. 9 to stake an independence bid there as they accused the government of sidelining them in a peace agreement. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/BM, GMA News