Soldier killed in leftist rebels' attack in S. Philippines

A soldier was killed following an attack launched by suspected members of the leftist rebel group New People's Army (NPA) in southern Philippines on Thursday, a military official said Friday.

Capt. Christian Uy, spokesman of the Philippine Army's 4th Infantry Division, identified the fatality as Private First Class Akmad Maruhom. Maruhom died of gunshot wounds after a 20-minute firefight between the NPAs and the soldiers.

Uy said around 10 NPA guerrillas fired at soldiers doing community work in Calabucao village, Impasug-ong town in the southern Philippine province of Bukidnon on Thursday, during the celebration of the 45th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the umbrella organization of the NPA.

He condemned the incident, saying it is an outright violation of the truce declared by the CPP on Dec. 18. CPP's ceasefire declaration is from Dec. 24 to 26 and from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2, 2014.

The 4,000-strong NPA, the armed wing of the CPP, is fighting a leftist insurgency in 60 Philippine provinces since 1969.