Iran Press/ Asia: The military said in a report that the fighting broke out between soldiers and an unknown number of New People's Army (NPA) insurgents at around 1:30 a.m. local time in a town in Eastern Samar province.
The rebels launched the attack "when locals were already in bed," said the report, adding that the soldiers were in the village to coordinate with the community on government projects.
The NPA rebels have been fighting the government since 1969. They concentrate their attacks on rural areas and have skirmishes with the military.
Military data showed that the NPA is estimated to have 2,000 members, significantly lower than its peak strength in the 1980s.
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