MANILA, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Philippine troops killed two suspected rebels during a clash in the southern Philippines early on Thursday morning, the military said.
In a report, the military said the troops were combing a village near Lebak town in Sultan Kudarat province in the southern Philippines when they clashed with around 10 New People's Army (NPA) rebels before 6 a.m. local time.
The troops recovered an M16 rifle, a Cal. 45 pistol, a grenade, and several rounds of ammunition, the report added.
In a separate report, the military said a government soldier was killed and another wounded in a clash in Samar province in the central Philippines on Tuesday.
The report said that an undetermined number of NPA rebels engaged in a 45-minute gunfight with the troops in San Jorge town. The military did not give more details about the encounter.
NPA rebels have been fighting the government troops since 1969. They concentrate their attacks on rural areas and have skirmishes with the military.
Military data showed that the NPA is estimated to have 2,000 members, significantly lower than its peak strength in the 1980s. ■
