One killed, 4 wounded in clashes with leftist rebels in Davao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - One soldier was killed and four others wounded in separate clashes with leftist rebels in southern Philippines to, a military official said.

The first incident happened in Fatima village, Paquibato district in the southern Philippine city of Davao early Thursday morning, said Captain Ernest Carolina, spokesperson of the army's 10th Infantry Division (ID).

Carolina said 10th ID troops were conducting combat patrol when they clashed with New People's Army (NPA) guerrillas around 8 a.m., wounding four soldiers.

Later in the day, government troops under the 27th Infantry Battalion also battled leftist guerrillas in a village in Maitum town, in Sarangani, some 200 kilometers to the south.

Carolina told Xinhua in a text message that field reports indicated one soldier died in the fighting.

The clashes happened a day after government troops killed three NPA rebels in Montevista, Compostela Valley province, some 100 kilometers north of Davao City.