MANILA, Philippines, July 04, SPA -- More than 1,000 Muslimseparatists have been killed in fighting in the southern Philippines over the past year, the military said Saturday, but a rebel leader denied the claim. The government itself lost «more or less 30» soldiers inclashes since peace talks collapsed in August, said Col. Jonathan Ponce, spokesman for the military's 6th InfantryDivision, which is involved in the operation against theMoro Islamic Liberation Front. He disputed a report by the rebels earlier this week thatmore than 500 soldiers have been killed during that period. The rebels also said 20 guerrillas, 20 pro-governmentmilitiamen and 20 civilians have been killed. «We would not have released (the rebel casualty figures)if they had not claimed that more than 500 of our soldiershave been killed,» Ponce told the AP. There are no reliable independent casualty counts, butestimates of deaths in fighting since the rebellion beganin the early 1970s range as high as 120,000.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/681092