MANILA, July 19 (UPI) -- Six leftist rebels and a pro-government militiaman were killed Friday in a New People's Army attack on a military outpost in the Philippines, officials said.
The fighting was at the Citizen Armed Auxiliary detachment in Agusan del Sur province, Xinhua reported.
A spokesman for the Philippine Army's 4th Infantry Division, Maj. Leo Bongosia, said the remote outpost in the southern Philppines was attacked by at least 40 rebels of the New People's Army.
Fighting lasted for about an hour until two Philippine Air Force MG-520 attack helicopters fired rockets at the rebels, forcing them to withdraw, officials said.
Villagers said they saw rebels dragging away the bodies of some fellow fighters during the attackers' retreat, Bongosia reported.
The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
