MANILA, Nov. 19 -- More than 1,600 New People's Army (NPA) rebels and their supporters have been "neutralized" so far this year, further weakening the remaining communist guerilla fronts in the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said 1,631 NPA rebels and sympathizers have either surrendered or been captured or killed from Jan. 1 to Nov. 13.

Of the total number, 1,433 surrendered, 90 were arrested, and 108 were killed in military operations during the period, the AFP said.

The AFP said the high number of surrenders indicates the thinning of rebel ranks and shows the growing inability of the NPA and their allies to threaten the country's security, giving government troops more opportunity to f...