Manila - An international human rights group warned Wednesday of an imminent human rights crisis in the southern Philippines amid relentless fighting between government troops and Muslim rebels.

Amnesty International said civilians have become the biggest casualties in the ongoing battles between government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the strife-torn region of Mindanao.

The group noted that of the more than 200 people killed in the fighting since August, civilian fatalities were 104, many of them children.

It added that while the number of evacuees has decreased to a little more than 270,000 from 610,000 at the height of the fighting, many of those who left evacuation centres now live with relatives because their homes were burned and livelihoods destroyed.

"Both sides of the conflict have violated their obligations under the international humanitarian law to protect from harm those who are taking no active part in the hostilities," Amnesty said in a report.

"If impunity for perpetrators of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law from both parties of the conflict continues, with a lack of avenues for redress for the victims and the threat of more MILF attacks in the wake of the failure of the peace talks, Mindanao may find itself approaching a human rights crisis," the report added.

Amnesty expressed concern over the rise of vigilante groups against the MILF and the arming of civilian forces, backed by local politicians, to help in the military campaign against the rebels.

"Experience from around the world shows that the deployment of civilian militias can set off a chain of reprisals and only increases the danger facing civilians," it said.

Fighting between the MILF and government forces erupted in August when the Supreme Court stopped the signing of a government-MILF agreement that would have expanded an existing Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao. Several MILF commanders seized villages and attacked towns to express their frustration.

The attacks prompted President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to dissolve the government peace panel negotiating with the MILF. She vowed not to resume the talks until those responsible for the attacks were brought to justice.

Amnesty said MILF rebels used "guns and machetes to kill villagers in their homes and on the streets" during the attacks.

The group called on the MILF to respect international humanitarian law and ensure that its commanders do not commit human rights abuses.

Amnesty urged the military and the police to demonstrate their commitment to respect international humanitarian law and "immediately cease all violations and take all measures necessary to ensure they are not repeated in the future."

It stressed the need for the government "to investigate reports of food blockades or aid being restricted by local government officials and to ensure that political disagreements do not hinder aid from reaching the displaced people." (dpa)