Philippine troops launched an offensive yesterday on Muslim rebels holding at least 20 hostages and President Gloria Arroyo said she would not back down until the guerrillas surrendered or were killed.
A spokesman for the Abu Sayyaf rebels told a radio station by telephone that two of the hostages -- who included three Americans and 17 Filipinos -- had been killed in the fighting and others would be executed if the military continued its attack.
There was no confirmation of the rebel claim but radio reports said at least 12 guerrillas were killed. The military said two soldiers died and over two dozen people, including troops and villagers, were injured.
Thousands of villagers fled the fighting on the mountainous, forested island of Basilan, 900km south of Manila, as the military used howitzers and rocket-firing helicopter gunships to pin down the rebels.
Arroyo vowed not to back down, as relatives of some of the hostages pleaded for a halt to the offensive, saying more lives would be lost.
"Military operations is the only option," she said. "If the bandits find it in their hearts that they will surrender their hostages unconditionally, then that is the other option."
Asked about possible casualties among the hostages, she said: "I don't think it's wise to be discussing the consequences."
The military said it had no reports that any of the hostages were hurt in the fighting, the first encounter between the guerrillas and soldiers who had been hunting for them over scores of islands since the hostages were seized on an island resort on Sunday.
About 100 guerrillas were involved in the clashes.
The rebel spokesman did not say which two hostages had been killed in the fighting.
The sounds of gunfire could be heard in the background during his call, which was broadcast live.
A Filipino woman, who sounded close to tears and told a radio station she was one of the hostages, appealed to the armed forces to halt the assault.
"We are all right but these encounters are going to cost us our lives. We have children with us. I beg of you to please consider, to just sit down on the negotiating table and try and find a way to get everybody out safely," she said.
She said the three American hostages, who include a missionary couple, were with her group.
More than 2,000 soldiers were being deployed to surround the rebels and stop them escaping with their hostages, but armed forces spokesman Brigadier-General Edilberto Adan said it could take days to cordon off the 10km by 18km zone of rugged terrain.
The Abu Sayyaf has made unfounded claims in the past that hostages they were holding had died in clashes.
"The Philippine government does not seem to care about the hostages ... why should we?" rebel spokesman Abu Sabaya said yesterday. He said if the assault continued they would begin executing hostages: "They are no relations of ours."
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