A member of the leftist rebel group New People's Army (NPA) was killed following a brief firefight with soldiers in southern Philippines on Friday afternoon, a military official said.

Maj. Leo Bongosia, spokesman of the Philippine Army's 4th Infantry Division, said the soldiers were conducting pursuit operations when they encountered the NPAs at Cabugo village, Claver town in Surigao del Norte at around 2 p.m.

Bongosia said the military launched pursuit operations after troops from the 30th Infantry Batallion clashed with 15 NPAs also in Claver town on Thursday. A soldier died following a brief encounter between the NPAs and government security forces.

The NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been waging a guerrilla campaign in the countryside for four decades. Military estimates that there are more than 5,000 NPAs scattered in more than 60 guerrilla fronts throughout the country.