Fighting between militias in Somalia's central Galkayo city killed at least 29 people and wounded more than 50, officials from both sides said on Monday.

Colonel Mohamed Aden, a military officer from the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, said 16 soldiers serving in the region's army had been killed and 30 been wounded since fighting broke out again on Sunday.

The region of Galmudug had 13 soldiers killed and 20 wounded, said Hirsi Yusuf Barre, the mayor of southern Galkayo.

The two regions have a history of clashes and the latest round of fighting erupted after a dispute over buildings planned in Galkayo, a city that is divided between the two sides.

But before Sunday's clashes, there had been a week-long ceasefire in place.

Galmudug and Puntland are clashing in the town, which straddles their common border and is divided under the control of rival clan militias. As violence between these groups began to escalate a month ago, schools in Galkayo were forced to close and some people fled the town.

Under terms of a ceasefire deal mediated by Dubai and which was welcomed by the two sides and Somalia's federal president, forces of both regions were supposed to be withdrawn from the disputed area this past week.

The deal also called for those who had fled Galkayo because of previous fighting to be allowed to return.

Somalia has been gripped by conflict since the downfall of Mohamed Siad Barre in early 1990s, and the armed al-Shabab group has been one of the main causes of unrest in the past two decades.</s>The latest in a spate of clashes in Galkayo, a city divided between the semi-autonomous regions of Puntland and Galmudug, erupted on Sunday following a dispute over building plans.

Col. Mohamed Aden, a Puntland military officer, said 16 soldiers serving in the region's armed forces had been killed and 30 wounded.

The mayor of southern Galkayo, Hirsi Yusuf Barre, said the toll on the Galmudug side was 13 dead and 20 wounded.

Doctors at hospitals in north and south Galkayo, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, put the overall death toll at at least 50.

Both militias offer political support to Somalia's U.N.-backed government, based in the capital Mogadishu. But the clashes between them underscore the tenuous grip it exerts on Somalia's powerful regions.

Civil war has been raging in Somalia for 25 years.

The government is due to hold twice-delayed parliamentary elections by the end of 2016, but the threat from al Qaeda-linked Islamist militant group al Shabaab means only 14,000 people, representing federal states, will be eligible to vote.</s>Galmudug and Puntland are clashing in the town of Galkayo, which straddles their common border and is divided under the control of rival clan militias. As violence between these groups began to escalate a month ago, schools in Galkayo were forced to close and some people fled the town.

Under terms of a ceasefire deal mediated by Dubai and which was welcomed by the two sides and Somalia's federal president, forces of both regions were supposed to be withdrawn from the disputed area this past week.

The deal also called for those who had fled Galkayo due to previous fighting to be allowed to return.

"We were shocked to see Puntland forces inside Galkayo south and pounding us with shells and bullets," Hirsi Yusuf Barre, mayor of Galkayo south, which is controlled by militias loyal to Galmudug, told Reuters.

"We lost seven soldiers and 20 others were wounded. We also lost a car. We repulsed them and now Galkayo is calm", he added

Each region blames the other for starting the fighting.

"Galmudug does not want peace, we shall continue fighting till we cleanse Galmudug forces," Col. Mohamed Aden, a military officer from Puntland told Reuters on Sunday.

Aden said their side had lost 12 soldiers and that over 20 others were injured. They also captured two vehicles and four prisoners from Galmudug forces.

"We also took some land in the outskirts of Galkayo," he said.

Somalia has been gripped by conflict since the downfall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in early 1990s, and Islamist militant group Al Shabaab has been one of the main causes of unrest in the last two decades.</s>At least 25 soldiers were killed in weekend fighting between rival Puntland and Galmudug regional forces in the Somali town of Galkayo, military officials on both sides said today.

“We have lost 12 men and there are more than 10 wounded,” said Puntland commander Jumale Jama Takar, while his Galmudug counterpart Abdirahman Qoje said: “We have lost 13 soldiers and nearly 20 others wounded.”

The divided city of Galkayo, about 700 kilometres northeast of the capital Mogadishu, has seen repeated clashes in recent weeks but Sunday’s fighting is the deadliest yet and marked the collapse of a short-lived peace agreement between the two semi-autonomous Somali states.

In September the US was drawn into the rivalry when Galmudug authorities accused Puntland of duping US forces into carrying out an air strike on its soldiers, killing 13.

Residents said the toll may be higher than the rival parties admit and included civilians as well as soldiers.

“We are asking both sides to show restraint and stop the war,” said Mohamed Farah, a traditional elder in the city.

“Yesterday alone 35 people have been killed and more than 100 others wounded. Most of those killed are the combatants but there also civilian casualties on the both sides of Galkayo.”

Another resident, Bile Abdulahi, said there was no fighting on Monday but that the city remained tense.

“There are still some dead bodies strewn around the contested area. Fighting can resume anytime,” he said.

Somalia is in the process of selecting a new parliament, upper house and president in a limited franchise election that involves 14,000 delegates from all regional states, including Galmudug and Puntland.

Political tensions have been rising and threats from the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab militants have increased in the run-up to the delayed vote, originally due in August.
Fighting between militias in Galkayo, Somalia, leaves at least 29 dead.