Suspected militants kill seven Philippine troops in ambush
August 17th, 2008 - 1:51 pm ICT by IANSDPA
Manila, Aug 17 (DPA) Seven government troops were killed and 11 wounded Sunday in an ambush by unidentified assailants in the southern Philippines, an army spokesman said. The gunmen opened fire on a convoy of army soldiers and militiamen in the boundary of Mulondo and Baudiposo-Buntong towns in Lanao del Sur province, 810 km south of Manila.
Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner said the identities of the attackers were not immediately known, but Muslim separatist rebels are known to operate in the area.
Four army soldiers and three government militiamen were killed in the ambush, he said, adding that eight soldiers and three other militiamen were also wounded in the attack.
The ambush came just days after fierce fighting ended between government forces and separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in the southern province of North Cotabato.
Nearly 160,000 people were displaced by the hostilities in North Cotabato, but more than half of them have already returned after government troops drove away MILF rebels from their villages.
The 11,000-strong MILF is the largest Muslim rebel group fighting for the establishment of an independent Islamic state in the southern region of Mindanao.
DPA
- Rebels kill eight in Philippines - Apr 04, 2011
- Muslim rebel attacks kill 16 in Philippines - Aug 18, 2008
- 27 killed in fighting in the Philippines - Mar 28, 2009
- Eleven Muslim rebels killed in the Philippines - Jun 08, 2009
- 100 Muslim rebels killed in Philippine offensive: Army - Aug 23, 2008
- Philippine Muslim rebels call for peace talks (Lead) - Aug 23, 2008
- 32 people killed in three days of Philippine fighting - Sep 26, 2008
- Three government anti-drug agents killed in Philippines - Apr 13, 2009
- Three killed in Philippines jail gunfight - Feb 20, 2012
- Two killed, dozens injured in Philippine blast - Jul 07, 2009
- 29 dead as Muslim rebels take over Philippine towns (Lead) - Aug 18, 2008
- 15 killed in clash in southern Philippines - Oct 27, 2008
- Rebel commander captured in Philippines - Sep 23, 2009
- 13 rebels killed in Philippines fighting - Nov 18, 2008
- Southern Philippine rebels clash and kill 12 soldiers - Jul 28, 2012
Tags: army soldiers, army spokesman, brawner, fierce fighting, government forces, government troops, gunmen opened fire, islamic state, lieutenant colonel, milf, militiamen, moro islamic liberation, moro islamic liberation front, philippine troops, province of north cotabato, rebel group, separatist rebels, southern philippines, southern province, unidentified assailants