At least 11 people including seven Philippine soldiers were killed in a series of attacks that occurred within hours of each other. The attacks were launched by suspected members of the communist New People's Army (NPA) in Davao del Sur province in Mindanao, the military and police reported.Provincial military spokesman Captain William Rodriguez said ten others were injured in the attacks, one of the deadliest staged by the NPA in Mindanao since their peace talks with the government collapsed. Rodriguez also acknowledged the seven soldiers killed including a junior officer, belonged to a team of reinforcements aboard a truck hit by a landmine believed to have been set off by the militants.
Regional police spokesman Chief Inspector Jed Clamor said about 50 heavily armed NPA militants wearing camouflage uniforms arrived in three vehicles and attacked the station after 4 a.m. on Monday.
Two of the 14 policemen at the station were killed and three others, including two detainees, were injured in the fierce encounter that ensued. In the pursuit operation, combined police and military teams killed two NPA militants and captured nine others.
At about 9 a.m. on Monday, a platoon of soldiers were dispatched aboard a military truck to reinforce their beleaguered colleagues. On the way, a landmine thought to have been planted by the militants along the road exploded, killing seven soldiers and injuring seven others, Rodriguez said.