Two soldiers of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Battalion were wounded while two members of the New People’s Army (NPA) died in an encounter late Wednesday.

Based on a report reaching the Police Regional Office-11 (PRO-11) Thursday, the rebels attempted to recover one of their lairs in Barangay Carmen, Baguio District.

The soldiers were patrolling when they encountered some 30 members of the NPA’s Pulang Bagani Command 2 and 3 under Kumander Bobby and Kumander Jeffrey, respectively.

Both NPA leaders belong to the rebel group’s Southern Mindanao Regional Command (SMRC). The firefight lasted for two hours.

The wounded soldiers were airlifted to the Camp Panacan Hospital.

Capt. Jerry Lamosao, the spokesperson of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, said a second encounter with the rebels broke out when the troops were scouring the clash site.

Pursuit operation is still ongoing to drive away the rebels out of Carmen, Lamosao said.

Carmen is one of the 21 barangays that the military earlier said had been cleared of NPA influence.

In a statement Thursday, Maj Gen Noel Clement, the commander of the 10thID, said the “NPA terrorists are not welcome in a cleared barangay.”

“Their resurgence was immediately reported to us. We are grateful to the people of Barangay Carmen for their continued support and cooperation in maintaining peace and order,” Clement said.