Philippines says seizes rebel bases; kills 100

Fighting across oil and gas-rich marshlands in the southern Philippines has escalated with members of the country’s largest Muslim rebel group reinforcing rogue guerrillas, an army field commander said on Monday.

Troops have been fighting rogue Muslim guerrillas since last August and if reports of regular members of the Moro Islamic Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) joining the fighting are confirmed, it would mark a dangerous expansion to the war. (Reuters)