4 Suspected NPA Rebels Killed in Clashes With Philippine Troops

Four suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed during separate clashes with government troops in the Philippines over the weekend, the military said on Monday.

According to a military report, the armed encounters occurred on Sunday in Eastern Samar province in the central Philippines and Surigao del Norte province in the south.

Three rebels were killed in Surigao del Norte, while one died during a firefight in Eastern Samar, the report confirmed.

The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been engaged in an insurgency against the government since 1969. At its peak in the 1980s, the group had around 25,000 fighters. Military data indicates that the group’s numbers have significantly dwindled in recent years.

Despite its reduced strength, the NPA continues to stage sporadic attacks, particularly in rural and mountainous areas, posing a persistent security challenge in parts of the country.