UN worried about PH humanitarian crisis

DISPLACED Villagers queue up to enter a stadium that houses tens of thousands of evacuees who were displaced by the fighting between government forces and Muslim rebels in Zamboanga City. AP

MANILA, Philippines — The United Nations says more than 100,000 Filipinos who have been displaced by two weeks of fighting between government troops and Muslim rebels in a southern city are facing a humanitarian crisis.

The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in the Philippines, Luiza Carvalho, said Wednesday that the standoff involving rebels who seized hostages as they attempted to occupy Zamboanga City has left about 132 people dead, 158,000 affected and over 10,000 homes destroyed. About 109,000 are displaced in Zamboanga and almost 19,000 in neighboring Basilan province.

The Philippine military says the operation to flush out the remaining rebels and free the last hostages is nearing an end.

According to authorities, 110 rebels and 18 security forces have been killed since September 9. Most of the about 200 hostages have been freed.