CATBALOGAN, Samar – A one-year-old girl who was wounded in a rebel-military encounter in Northern Samar last May 30 died in the hospital on Monday, a military report said here.

Maj. Gen. Arthur Tabaquero, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division (8ID), said the girl’s death brought to four the number fatalities from the encounter. He said the girl was a daughter of one of the two soldiers killed in the encounter with the 30 heavily-armed New People’s Army rebels who attacked the soldiers in Barangay Polangi, Catarman, Northern Samar.

The soldiers from the 20th infantry battalion (20IB) were conducting checkpoints and community work in Barangay Polangi when they were attacked and were caught by surprise.

The 30-minute firefight also resulted in the death of the young girl’s mother who was five months pregnant woman.

The military said the rebels withdraw to the mountainous and forested area of the barangay upon the arrival of reinforcements. Hot pursuit operations are being conducted by elements of the 20IB.

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