Summary The rural-based insurgency is one of Asia's longest-running.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Philippine troops remain on track of meeting a target to eradicate a 44-year communist insurgency by 2016, the military chief said Thursday.
Military chief of staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista told a news conference that battle setbacks and surrenders had reduced the armed fighters of the New People s Army by more than 300 so far this year, leaving the insurgents with just over 4,000 guerrillas. He acknowledged the Maoist rebels remain a major security threat and have intensified attacks in recent months in the country s southeastern region.
Bautista said he was saddened that the guerrillas had intensified attacks in a southern region that has been devastated by a recent typhoon.
Bautista met with his top generals Thursday to assess the government s counter-insurgency plan, which went into effect in January 2011.
The rural-based insurgency is one of Asia s longest-running.
The rebels guerrilla force has been weakened from a peak of about 25,000 fighters in the mid-1980s due to battle losses, surrenders and factionalism. Washington regards the New People s Army as a terrorist group, accusing it of attacks against Americans in the Philippines.
