U.S. assures Muslim rebels on Philippine exercises

By Manny Mogato

MANILA (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to the Philippines met the leader of the country's largest Muslim rebel group on Tuesday in an effort to defuse tensions over U.S. soldiers entering Muslim areas in the south.

Earlier this week, thousands of people protested against the U.S. military's plans to hold humanitarian missions in areas controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as part of annual training exercises with Philippine troops.

"The U.S. ambassador assured us the U.S. soldiers would not be involved in any combat activities," Mohaqher Iqbal, head of the MILF peace panel with the government, told Reuters.

Kristie Kenney was the first U.S. ambassador to enter MILF territory when she met al haj Ibrahim Murad for about an hour in Camp Darapanan, outside Cotabato City on the southern island of Mindanao.

Muslim rebels in camouflage uniforms and armed with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers guarded the bungalow where Kenney met with Murad.

The MILF was concerned U.S. troops would conduct combat training close to MILF bases, which could provoke commanders already frustrated that long-running peace talks with Manila remain deadlocked.

But soldiers will only hold humanitarian missions such as medical aid and building schools and bridges in Mindanao and conduct training and war games in northern Philippines.

"We have asked the ceasefire panels of the government and the MILF to observe and monitor the activities under the exercises to prevent any problem," Iqbal said, adding that the MILF was not opposed to the annual exercises.