One soldier killed, two others wounded in clashes with alleged NPAs in Abra, Isabela

November 13, 2017

One soldier was killed while two others were wounded in two separate encounters with alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) in the province of Abra and Isabela last Sunday, a regional military spokesman said Monday.

Lt. Col. Isagani Nato, Northern Luzon Command spokesman said based on an initial report troops of 24th Infantry Battalion were conducting combat security operation when they were fired upon by  ten NPA members at the vicinity of Brgy.Alangitan, Tubo, Abra around 12:50 pm.

He said the NPA rebels were under the group of Kilusang Larangan Gerilya (KLG) Montes operating in the area of Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Nato said the firefight that lasted for about ten minutes has resulted to the wounding of two soldiers.

He said the wounded troops “were immediately evacuated to the nearest hospital for proper medication and treatment.”

Nato said a NPA rebel was killed in another encounter at the vicinity of Sitio Minanga, Brgy. San Carlos, Echague, Isabela at around 2:07 pm.

He said the troops were conducting combat operation in the area when they encountered more or less 30 rebels from the Komiteng Rehiyon-Hilagang Silangang Luzon (KR-HSL) Central Front.

“The communist terrorists suffered undetermined number of casualties in both incidents,” he said.

Nato said “additional troops were inserted in the area purposely to conduct pursuit operations to the withdrawing dissidents.”

“All patrol bases were also alerted for possible harassment establishing checkpoints in their respective areas, together with the PNP units,” he said.

“NOLCOM will continue to conduct Focused Military Operations (FMO) to address the communist terrorist threats against the people’s right to live peacefully and their hostile activities hampering the development in the area,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS