COTABATO CITY, Philippines, 18 October — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) yesterday lodged a protest charging the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with "unprovoked incursions" into known areas or communities of its fighters and supporters in Mindanao's Lanao provinces.

The protest, filed through the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), referred to the military attacks in the towns of Sultan Gumander and Pualas in Lanao del Sur province and Nonongan in Lanao del Norte.

It classified the AFP's action as a "prohibited hostile act" and a major violation of the cease-fire agreement signed by government and MILF representatives in Kuala Lumpur on Aug.7, 2001.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said government troops yesterday resumed bombardment of separatist positions in the boundaries of Pualas, Sultan Gumander and Nonongan in Lanao del Norte.

Field reports said there were no letup in the army's artillery fire, which were interspersed rocket attacks and strafing by MG-520 attack helicopters of the Philippine Air Force.

MILF officials noted, however, that there were no offensive movement by ground troops estimated at 4 to 5 battalions deployed in three strategic areas nearby.

The military has claimed to have killed 20 rebels in a "pre-emptive strike" on Saturday and 10 more the next day in the Sultan Gumander area. The MILF has denied losing a man and claimed instead that 17 soldiers were killed in the fighting.

AFP officials said the attack was prompted by reports that the separatists were massing up for an attack on government installations, and the alleged presence of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon in the area.

Officials further accused the MILF of tying up with fighters of the Abu Sayyaf, a kidnap gang tagged as a "terrorist" group by the United States.

The MILF has denied the charges and one of its officials, Tops Julhani, chided the military for using such unproved allegation to commit acts in total disregard of the cease-fire agreement,

On Wednesday, at least three people were reportedly and four others seriously injured in another outbreak of violence between government troops and MILF fighters in Datu Piang town of Maguindanao province.

Commander Hasan Indal of MILF unit in the area told Arab News in a phone interview yesterday that fighting erupted when elements of the army's 37th Infantry Battalion and paramilitary units intruded into MILF positions in tremote Barangay Ganta.

"Identities of the fatalities and other victims were not immediately available but they are all members of the army's assaulting unit," an unnamed local official was quoted by an MILF communiqué as saying.