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Philippine Troops' Clash With Communist rebels Leaves 9 dead

by Associated Press

   MANILA --

   Officials say Philippine troops clashed with communist rebels in the
   south, leaving eight rebels and a soldier dead.
   Army spokesman Capt. Alexandre Cabales says the clash erupted Wednesday
   after patrolling troops encountered some 40 New People's Army rebels in
   southern Compostela Valley province.
   He says the guerrillas later fled, leaving behind the bodies of eight
   rebels and six high-powered guns. The wounded soldier died on the way
   to a hospital.
   On Monday, soldiers in the same province captured a camp of the rebels,
   who have been waging one of Asia's longest-running Marxist
   insurgencies.
   The violence happened despite officials' and rebel peace negotiators'
   statement last month that they would suspend offensives to allow troops
   to focus on quelling a bloody siege by Islamic State group-aligned
   militants in southern Marawi city.