Toll Of Filipino Commandos Killed In Rebel Clash Rises To At Least 43

At least 43 Philippine police commandos were killed in a fierce battle with Muslim guerrillas after launching an assault in which they may have killed one of Southeast Asia’s most-wanted terrorists, officials said Monday.

The clash Sunday — the biggest single-day combat loss for the government in recent memory — may have resulted from the commandos’ failure to follow the terms of a cease-fire with the guerrillas by notifying them of their presence in the area, a rebel leader said.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas described the clash as a “misencounter.”

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Associated Press writer Teresa Cerojano contributed to this report.

The Huffington Post