Philippine army claims killing 'top' rebel commander

KARACHI, Pakistan

The Philippine army on Wednesday claimed killing a suspected "top" rebel in clashes in southern Agusan Del Norte province.

The suspected leader of the New People's Army (NPA) was killed during day-long clashes in a mountainous village near Butuan City on Wednesday afternoon, the military said in a statement.

The army identified the slain rebel as the "widow" of a ranking NPA leader who was killed in October 2021 in a clash in the southern Philippines. The slain rebel was tagged as one of the most wanted NPA commanders in the Philippines.

NPA, which is known as the military wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been in conflict with the government forces.

Military data suggested that the NPA's personnel strength has declined since its peak of around 25,000 armed members in the 1980s.

The NPA rebels, however, continue to launch small-scale attacks in the countryside despite their dwindling strength.