Davao City, Philippines - One pro-government militiaman and one communist rebel were killed Thursday in a clash in the outskirts of a southern Philippine City, a military spokesman said.

Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Torres said the fighting erupted before dawn when about 50 communist rebels attacked a pro-government militia outpost in Davao City, 990 kilometres south of Manila.

Torres said three other militiamen were wounded in the fighting that lasted for several hours.

"We suffered one killed in action and three others were wounded," he said. "But the rebels suffered undetermined number of casualties and they were repulsed. One of the slain rebels was recovered."

Torres said regular army troops have been dispatched to the area to conduct pursuit operations.

Communist rebels have been fighting the government since the late 1960s, making the movement one of the longest-running leftist insurgencies in Asia. (dpa)