2 soldiers hurt in land mine blast in North Cotabato

KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato—Two soldiers were wounded when a land mine exploded while a platoon of soldiers patrolled a village in the hinterlands of Arakan in North Cotabato, the military reported on Monday.

Lt. Nasrullah Sema, 57th Infantry Battalion Civil Military Operations chief, identified the wounded soldiers as Pfc. Oliver Magbanua and Cpl. Abdullah Camsa.

“They suffered minor wounds. They are now safe,” Sema said.

Sema said the soldiers were checking out reports about the presence of armed men believed to be members of the New Peoples Army in the village of Sagundanon on Sunday when a roadside bomb exploded.

Sema said the soldiers engaged an undetermined number of rebels in a 15-minute battle after which the rebels, who were on higher ground, withdrew.