War materiel seized from rebel camp in Apayao
Army soldiers and police recovered these guns and other war materiel after an encounter with communist rebels in Flora town, Apayao province Sunday, March 14. Photo courtesy of the Army’s 17th Infantry Battalion
TUGUEGARAO CITY –– Army soldiers and police on Sunday seized four high-powered guns and assorted war materiel after a running gun battle with New People’s Army rebels in Flora town, Apayao province.
In a report, the military said the government troops were on a combat patrol in barangays Mallig and Upper Atok when they encountered about 20 rebels of the communist West Front Committee.
The rebels engaged soldiers from the 17th Infantry Battalion, Marine Battalion Landing Team 10, and local police in two successive gun battles that lasted about 15 minutes each.
When the rebels retreated, the government soldiers seized three M-16 Armalite rifles, an M-653 5.56mm rifle, medical supplies, anti-government documents, backpacks, and personal items from the rebels’ camp.
The firefight came days after local officials declared the communist rebels “persona non grata” in the town.
