Thousands of residents fled as fresh fighting broke out Wednesday between Philippine security forces and Muslim rebels, on the third day of a deadly siege in a key southern city, officials said. At least 13,000 people crammed into Zamboanga city sports stadium seeking safety as soldiers and rebels fought street battles in deserted coastal neighbourhoods nearby, an AFP photographer on the scene said.
‘We’re trying our best to provide decent facilities for them,’ government social worker Beth Dy told AFP, but added the venue only had four portable toilets and no available bedding.
About 5,000 residents from the six communities under siege arrived overnight and some had no choice but to pitch makeshift tents on the grass, she added. In the settlement of Santa Catalina, three kilometres away, Philippine marines exchanged fire Wednesday with gunmen who were using 10 residents on a roadside as apparent human shields.