Troops free civilians in Philippine rebel stand-off.

Dozens of civilians held by Muslim rebels in the southern Philippine city of Zamboanga have been freed as troops gained ground, the military said.

Soldiers have reportedly taken 70% of the areas held by rebels.


Fighters from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) moved into parts of the city on 9 September and have been holed up in coastal villages.

Troops have been engaging in gun battles with the rebels, who have been using civilians as human shields.

"For the past 18 hours, we have been able to rescue 116 people due to pressure from our troops on the ground," military spokesman Lt Col Ramon Zagala told Agence-France Presse news agency.

It remained unclear, however, how many more civilians were being held as the stand-off continued.

Television reports showed exhausted hostages boarding buses taking them away from the front line after being released or escaping.

Meanwhile, it has been reported by local media and government officials that suspected MNLF members have abducted a senior police official in Zamboanga, Jose Chiquito Malayo.

About 60 people are reported to have died in the fighting - most of them rebels, according to the authorities.

Some 70,000 residents have been displaced by the fighting in the southern city. On Monday, Philippine forces carried out helicopter airstrikes on rebel-held areas.

The MNLF is one of a number of splinter groups fighting for independence from Manila.

It is thought the MNLF are angry at being sidelined from peace talks between another Muslim rebel group and the government.