MANILA (Reuters) - Communist rebels ambushed an army convoy in the northern Philippines on Tuesday and killed at least 10 soldiers, the deadliest attack on the military by the rebels this year, security officials said. The ambush in Ilocos Sur province, 300 km (185 miles) north of the capital, came two days after security forces killed 14 suspected communist rebels in a raid on a farming village in the northern province of Pampanga, near the capital Manila.
"The rebels were out to embarrass our government," said Lieutenant-Colonel Preme Monta, a military spokesman in the northern Philippines.
"They wanted to disrupt a state-sponsored ceremony to remember an important World War II battle in the north." He said the ceremony, which was due to be attended by U.S. and British officials, was canceled after the attack due to security concerns and to allow the army to find those responsible. | Pissed on your little party, huh? |
An army spokesman in Manila said 10 soldiers were killed and several were missing in the attack. Local police said 13 troops had died. The soldiers were on their way to Cervantes town in the province when the heavily armed rebels attacked their truck, police said. Monta said the rebels burned the military truck and retreated to nearby hills.
Since 1969, communist guerrillas from seven rival factions have been separately waging a countryside war to overthrow the Philippine government, which also faces Muslim separatist rebels and home-grown Islamic militants. Talks to end the conflict, the longest communist rebellion in Asia that has killed more than 40,000 people, have been stalled since August. | Maybe because of little "incidents" like this? |
The rebels say they wanted the removal of the terrorist label that Washington has placed on them before resuming formal talks brokered by Norway. |