Communist rebel fighters in the Philippines killed seven police officers on Monday, the latest in a surge of attacks in past months that have led to the deaths of dozen.
The rebels, from the New People’s Army, killed the police officers during an ambush just a mile outside a police station, spokesman Cesar Orlanes said, in an Agence France-Presse report. The attack left another seven policemen injured, AFP said.
Rebels staged the attack as police were making their way to a medical exam being held outside Manila. They detonated a land mine and then followed up with gunfire, AFP reported.
All of the officers were Special Action Forces members. That’s an elite unit with training in counter-insurgency tactics, and members regularly target the communist rebel fighters, AFP said.
New People’s Army fighters have been battling government forces for 44 years, and the death count form both sides stands around 30,000, AFP said.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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