CAGAYAN DE ORO (Zamboanga Journal / 18 Jun) A government soldier was killed and two more were wounded in fierce clashes with communist insurgents in the hinterlands of Malaybalay City in the southern Philippine province of Bukidnon, officials said Sunday.
Officials said the fighting began Friday and continued until the next day in the village of Busdi after troops raided an encampment of the New People's Army (NPA). "One soldier was killed and two others were wounded in the fighting," Lt. Col. Francisco Simbajon, the spokesman of the Army's 4th Infantry Division, told the Zamboanga Journal.
Simbajon said soldiers, backed by military aircrafts, attacked the fortified NPA camp. It was not immediately known how many rebels were killed in the air strikes. "The enemy camp is well fortified so we have sent more soldiers, backed by aircrafts, in the area to neutralize the NPA forces. We still don't know the exact number of rebels killed in the fighting," he said.
He did not say if there was fighting on Sunday or whether the NPA base had been occupied or not. "We are awaiting reports and our soldiers are still in the area, he said.
The fighting erupted just a week after government soldiers killed 3 insurgents in separate clashes in Bukidnon's San Fernando town and Malaybalay.
The peace talks between communist insurgents and the government failed two years ago after the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front pulled out from the negotiations because of its inclusion to the terror lists of the United States and the European Union on Manila's prodding.
Rebel leaders demanded that President Gloria Arroyo asks the United States and the European Union to strike them off from the terror lists before they resume peace talks. Manila rejected the demand and suspended safety and immunity guarantee for rebel peace negotiators following the collapse of the talks and the NPA, armed wing of the CPP-NDF, stepped up its offensive in the countryside.
President Gloria Arroyo has this week ordered the military to crush the NPA and set aside one billion pesos for the military to help fight insurgency and terrorism.
Officials said the fighting began Friday and continued until the next day in the village of Busdi after troops raided an encampment of the New People's Army (NPA). "One soldier was killed and two others were wounded in the fighting," Lt. Col. Francisco Simbajon, the spokesman of the Army's 4th Infantry Division, told the Zamboanga Journal.
Simbajon said soldiers, backed by military aircrafts, attacked the fortified NPA camp. It was not immediately known how many rebels were killed in the air strikes. "The enemy camp is well fortified so we have sent more soldiers, backed by aircrafts, in the area to neutralize the NPA forces. We still don't know the exact number of rebels killed in the fighting," he said.
He did not say if there was fighting on Sunday or whether the NPA base had been occupied or not. "We are awaiting reports and our soldiers are still in the area, he said.
The fighting erupted just a week after government soldiers killed 3 insurgents in separate clashes in Bukidnon's San Fernando town and Malaybalay.
The peace talks between communist insurgents and the government failed two years ago after the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front pulled out from the negotiations because of its inclusion to the terror lists of the United States and the European Union on Manila's prodding.
Rebel leaders demanded that President Gloria Arroyo asks the United States and the European Union to strike them off from the terror lists before they resume peace talks. Manila rejected the demand and suspended safety and immunity guarantee for rebel peace negotiators following the collapse of the talks and the NPA, armed wing of the CPP-NDF, stepped up its offensive in the countryside.
President Gloria Arroyo has this week ordered the military to crush the NPA and set aside one billion pesos for the military to help fight insurgency and terrorism.
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