Manila, July 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Two alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) were killed, and another was captured following a clash with Philippine Army troops in Oriental Mindoro province in central Philippines on Wednesday, according to local media reports.
The army said the encounter occurred during an operation after residents reported the presence of an armed group. Troops exchanged fire with around 10 suspected NPA members before the remaining rebels fled, prompting pursuit operations.
The military said troops recovered improvised explosive device components and other items left behind by the fleeing suspects, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Meanwhile, one person was killed, and two others were wounded after being caught in the crossfire during a clash between a militant group and armed farmers in Cotabato province in the southern Philippines on Wednesday, according to local media reports Thursday.
A local military official said the fighting displaced at least 100 families who took shelter in evacuation centres. Authorities said the clash was believed to have stemmed from a long-running land dispute between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the farmers.
The military said it is still verifying which group initiated the gunfight, and whether the fatality and those wounded are members of the two groups.
Soldiers and police have been deployed to secure the area and conduct clearing operations.
In December, two soldiers were killed while three others were wounded after landmines allegedly planted by rebels exploded during military operations in Camarines Sur province on Luzon island.
The army said the soldiers were hit by explosions from anti-personnel landmines. Following the incident, the military said it has intensified pursuit operations against the NPA rebels.
The NPA has waged a decades-long insurgency since 1969, seeking to overthrow the government. The group continues to operate mainly in rural areas across Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao, though security officials say its ranks have sharply declined in recent years.
While the NPA continues to operate in rural areas across the archipelagic country, the military said that its strength has dwindled to about 1,000 fighters, down from a peak of some 25,000 in the mid-1980s.
–IANS
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Source: IANS
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