One soldier killed, another injured in Bukidnon clash

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - A soldier was killed and another was wounded in a clash between government troops and leftist rebels yesterday, the military said today.

The firefight in San Fernando town of Mindanao's Bukidnon province happened just days after New People's Army (NPA) guerrillas attacked a police station in Kibawe town, also in Bukidnon, which left two policemen dead, said Christian Uy, regional army spokesperson.

Soldiers from the army's 2nd Scout Rangers Battalion were on their way back to camp from a combat patrol when they chanced upon an undetermined number of NPA insurgents, triggering a ten-minute clash, Uy told Xinhua in a text message.

"One soldier was killed and another was wounded. We're conducting pursuit operations (against the rebels)," said Uy.

This was the third attack by NPA rebels since Thursday. Over a dozen firearms were carted and two other policemen were wounded as dozens of NPA guerrillas stormed the Kibawe police station on Thursday. Early on Saturday, the leftist rebels also attacked a police station in Misamis Occidental province, taking away weapons, although there were no immediate reports of police casualties.