(UPDATE) Civilian killed as clashes between soldiers, leftist rebels continue in Davao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - A man was killed as leftist rebels attacked an army outpost in the southern Philippines yesterday as violence caused by one of Asia's longest leftist insurgencies continue to rise this month, a military official said today.

Elias Acero was riding a dump truck when hit by bullets fired by alleged New People's Army rebels in Dalisay village, Panabo City in Mindanao's Davao del Norte province, according to Buenaventura Pascual, commander of the army's 103rd Infantry Brigade based in the said province.

An undetermined number of leftist guerrillas opened fire at the command post of the army's 69th Infantry Battalion as the vehicle the victim was riding in passed by in an adjacent road around 8:30 a.m., Pascual said.

The victim died to gunshot wounds upon arrival at a local hospital.

Yesterday's incident brought to ten the number of people killed in a series of clashes between government troops and leftist rebels in less than a week.

Last Wednesday, nine people that included three soldiers, five rebels and a 9-year old child, died during fighting in the towns of Mabini and Monkayo in the neighboring minerals-rich Compostela Valley province.