Manila - One farmer was killed on Tuesday when fresh fighting broke out between government troops and Muslim separatist rebels in the southern Philippines, an army spokesman said.

The soldiers were on patrol in the village of Pagangan in Aleosan town in North Cotabato province, 960 kilometres south of Manila, when Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels attacked them.

Lieutenant Colonel Julieto Ando, an army division spokesman, said a farmer was killed when he was hit by a stray bullet during the fighting.

"We did not start this fighting," he said. "Our troops are strictly observing the ceasefire agreement our government signed with the rebels."

MILF fighters have been launching attacks in the southern region of Mindanao since last month, attacking military outposts and some villages.

Authorities said the offensives were apparently aimed at forcing the Philippine government to resume formal peace negotiations with the MILF.

The peace talks have been suspended since December last year over disagreements on how to establish a proposed Muslim homeland in the southern region of Mindanao.

MILF officials admitted that some commanders have grown impatient with the suspension of the negotiations and resorted to launching attacks.

But they stressed the rebel group's leaders did not order the assaults.

The MILF is the largest Muslim rebel group fighting for the establishment of an independent Islamic state in Mindanao. It has been waging the separatist struggle since 1978. (dpa)