MANILA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday called on government troops to fight against radical Muslim rebels in response to a surge of deadly guerrilla attacks launched in the south over the past few days.

　　According to local media reports, Arroyo labeled the attacks by suspected members of the Moro Islam Liberation Front (MILF) as "treacherous" and a threat to regional peace and stability.

　　"Because of these sneaky and treacherous attacks, as your commander-in-chief, I have ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police to defend every inch of Philippine territory against MILF forces and immediately restore peace in the affected areas," local news network ABS-CBN News quoted Arroyo as saying.

　　"We will not tolerate and we will crush any attempt to disturb peace and development in Mindanao," she said, adding that an emergency meeting is being called on to assess the situation and come up with "concrete, decisive action."

　　MILF rebels attacked towns in southern provinces of Lanao del Norte and Sarangani at dawn Monday, prompting the military and police to fight back. The exchange of fire has killed at least ten civilians.

　　Houses were reportedly burned and transportation system was partially damaged.

　　The government troops had to temporarily stop artillery assaults to avoid casualties as rebels retreated into the mountains with unconfirmed number of hostages, local media reports said.

　　The attacks came hours after a military convoy was ambushed by around 100 suspected MILF rebels in Lanao del Sure province on Sunday, leaving eight dead and 11 injured.

　　Also on Sunday, twin bombs exploded inside two travelers' inns in Iligan City of Lanao del Norte, hurting four civilians. No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion so far.

　　In a press conference held on Monday, General Alexander Yano, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said they are treating the MILF attacks, specifically the ambush attack on Sunday, as the MILF's declaration of war against the government.

　　"The recent MILF-perpetrated incidents in Mindanao, starting with the ambush is a virtual declaration of war against the duly constituted authority," Yano said.

　　He said the military authority will not allow this to go on. "We cannot allow ambuscades, arson, kidnapping, hostage taking, blocking of main highways and other atrocities to be perpetrated by the MILF against the Filipino people," he said.

　　Since 1978, the 12,000- member MILF has been fighting for a separate state in Muslim-dominated Mindanao region. The peace talks between the government and the rebel group have been on and off over the past decade.

　　Violence escalated after the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraint order to stop the government and the rebels from inking an instrumental agreement to the peace progress.