7 soldiers injured in South Philippine land mine blast

Seven soldiers were injured after a land mine, which was believed to have been planted by members of the leftist rebel group New People's Army (NPA), exploded in southern Philippines on Friday, a military official said. Lt. Col. Nilo Vinluan, commander of the Philippine Army's 57th Infantry Battalion, said government troops were on their way to an operation when the land mine went off in Makilala town in North Cotabato province. Vinluan said the soldiers were aboard military vehicles when they ran over the land mine planted by leftist rebels in Luna Sur village at around 12:45 a.m. He said the soldiers sustained minor injuries and were rushed to a hospital in Makilala. Vinluan said the NPAs had been planning to attack a military detachment in Villaflore and a packing plant of Dole Philippines, a producer and distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables. He said the land mine was meant for troops who may respond to the attack on the detachment. The 4, 000-strong NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is fighting a leftist insurgency in 60 Philippine provinces since 1969.