PHILIPPINES: JOLO TOWN LEFT IN RUINS AFTER FIERCE FIGHTING BETWEEN GOVERNMENT TROOPS AND MUSLIM REBELS.

Record ID: 1063778

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: JOLO TOWN LEFT IN RUINS AFTER FIERCE FIGHTING BETWEEN GOVERNMENT TROOPS AND MUSLIM REBELS.
  • Date: 23rd February 1974
  • Summary: 1. GV aerial shots of Jolo town (2 shots) 0.16 2. MV & GV Government soldiers patrolling street (2 shots) 0.22 3. GV PAN SHOT OF town in ruins 0.35 4. GV gutted building 0.40 5. GV & MV Children searching through rubble 0.51 6. GV PAN SHOT OF THE ruined town 1.04 7. GV damaged Muslim temple 1.08 8. GV PAN shot of ruin
  • Embargoed: 9th March 1974 12:00
  • Keywords:
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  • Location: JOLO, SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Reuters ID: LVAOBKY7DNLPK7OSDGU2UOACBQ5
  • Story Text:The Southern Philippine town of Jolo was left in ruins after fierce fighting broke out between government troops and Muslim rebels on February 7-8.

    The entire commercial district of Jolo -- capital of Jolo Island in the Sulu Archipelego, about 600 miles (960 kms) south of Manila -- was burnt to the ground when a force of about 800 Muslim insurgents set fire to the town on February 7th.

    After two days of fighting, the rebels, who used modern weapons in their attack, were driven back to their mountain strongholds by government troops. At least 300 people were killed in the battle, including some 250 Muslim rebels. Four government helicopters were shot down.

    SYNOPSIS: The southern Philippine island of Jolo, in the Sulu Archipelago, was the scene of fierce fighting between government troops and Muslim rebels. 800 insurgents set fire to the island's capital of Jolo after two days of fighting early this month.

    Two weeks after a February seventh fighting, government troops were still patrolling the streets in Jolo.

    That was once a bustling port of traders, fishermen and coconut growers, Jolo is now a grotesque heap of charred wooden frames and rubble.

    The entire commercial district of Jolo was burnt to the ground.

    Calm has since been restored to the town. As children sift through the rubble for what's left of their belongings, government forces have launched a big operation to recapture Indanan, the last town under Muslim rebel control on the southern tip of the island. 250 rebels, 50 civilians and 35 government soldiers have so far been killed.

    With mortars captured from a nearby military base, the rebels shelled the town and destroyed a Muslim temple and the town's Catholic church. Fires, fanned by winds blowing from the sea, swept through ninety percent of Jolo.

    Town officials, with federal aid, have begun to organise a campaign to restore the town.

    President Ferdinand Marcos has asked the government's Budget Commission to allocate one million pesos (66,000 sterling) for food and medicine to aid the civilian refugees.

    There are not many people left in Jolo, which had a predominantly Muslim population of 70,000. About three quarters of the town's population have already fled their homes for the Mindanao mainland. Another 20,000 refugees sought shelter at Zamboanga City.
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