MANILA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Philippine troops killed a suspected "top" rebel in daylong clashes in Agusan del Norte province in the southern Philippines on Wednesday, the military said.

The Army's 4th Infantry Division said in a post on social media that the alleged "top" New People's Army (NPA) leader was killed during clashes in a mountainous village near Butuan City on Wednesday afternoon.

The operation consisted of two encounters, culminating in capturing numerous items and personal belongings. The final encounter in the afternoon led to the death of the female rebel, the report said.

The military identified the slain rebel in the report as the "widow" of a ranking NPA leader who was killed in October 2021 during an encounter in the southern Philippines. The slain rebel was tagged as one of the most wanted NPA commanders in the Philippines.

NPA rebels have been fighting government troops since 1969.

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

Despite its dwindling fighters, the NPA continues to launch small-scale attacks in the countryside. Enditem

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