New People's Army rebels step un dawn attacks on police and military barracks in the southern province of Mindanao. Rebels seize firearms and two radios. The army counter-offensive results in two deaths and nine arrests among the guerrillas.

Manila (AsiaNews/Agencies) - At least 11 people were killed and 10 people injured in a series of attacks in the last hour carried out in Matanao, southern province of Davao del Sur, Mindanao Island by Filipino communist rebels. At dawn a hundred guerrillas attacked a police station in the city, killing two officers and wounding three others. During the raid the fighters detonated a mine that exploded as an army battalion passed killing seven soldiers and wounding seven seriously.

The surprise attack was launched by the communist and separatist guerrillas of the New People's Army.  Their target was the municipal police in the Matanao barracks (990 km south of Manila). Military sources report that the attack was led by Felix Armodia, known as Jing, of the NPA's Front 72.

Witnesses report that the rebels seized a dozen firearms and two radios from the barracks. In response , the army organized a hunt to find those responsible for the assault. In the clashes between guerrillas and soldiers at least two militants died, nine arrests were made.

Just last week another 17 soldiers and civilians were injured in the explosion of a landmine planted by communist guerrillas in Bansalan , also in Davao del Sud , some ambulances sent to the scene of the attack were also involved in 'bomb explosion'. This is confirmation - according to the army captain William Rodriguez - that the rebels, despite their claims, are still using anti-personnel mines".

Philippine communist guerrillas have been fighting the Manila government since the late 1960's.  Overtime they have become one of the oldest and bloodiest armed rebel movements throughout the Asian continent. The Netherlands has in the past hosted peace talks between the two sides , interrupted in 2004. Despite the attempts of President Benigno Aquin , who has made negotiations one of the first objectives of his mandate , the attempt to reopen negotiations foundered in April last year instead the fighting erupted once more with renewed intensity .

 

 

• PHILIPPINES
• davao
• del
• sur
• communist
• rebels
• seperatists
• attack
• army
• mindanao