Sunday, November 28, 2010

Gunmen kill UN food aid driver in Mindanao

ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 28, 2010) – Philippine gunmen shot dead a local driver who was contracted by the United Nations to deliver food aid to the restive region of Mindanao, police and military said Sunday.

The weekend attack occurred in Lanao province where the World Food Programme was delivering hundreds of bags of rice. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but initial reports suggested that Moro rebels were behind the shooting after the Filipino driver resisted an attempt to hijack the cargo.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which is fighting for self-determination in Mindanao, said it was unaware of the attack and rejected military reports that its forces were responsible for the attack.

“We have no reports about it and MILF members are surely not involved in the attack,” said Von Al-Haq, a spokesman for the rebel group which has been trying to forge a peace deal with Manila.

It was the second attack on UN food aid truck in Mindanao since 2008 where gunmen also killed a local aid worker and stole his cargo. The UN has been sending food aid to areas devastated by fighting between rebels and security forces in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)

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