PHILIPPINE troops captured a communist rebel encampment yesterday but lost two soldiers and a government militiaman in gunbattles in a southern province, the military said.
Lt Col Kurt Decapia, spokesman for the army's 10th Infantry Division, said government troops seized the rebel camp early yesterday from New People's Army rebels outside Monkayo township in Compostela Valley province.
After securing the camp, where soldiers recovered various rebel documents, another clash erupted with the rebels who had "overwhelming numbers and firepower," Decapia said. He could not estimate the guerrillas' numbers.
He said two soldiers and one government militiaman were killed and one army officer was missing following the second clash. Army special forces were in pursuit of the fleeing rebels.
There were no immediate reports of rebel casualties.
The 5,000-strong rebels, who have been waging an insurgency for almost 40 years, have escalated their attacks against government forces in recent months to gain badly needed weapons, according to the military.
The rebels often attack small military and police units that are unfamiliar with the terrain.
The military has been intensifying its operations against the guerrillas to meet a 2010 deadline set by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to wipe out the insurgents.
Norwegian-brokered peace talks stalled in 2004 after the rebels accused the government of instigating their inclusion on US and European terrorist blacklists.
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