The fighting broke out Monday between members of the Sa'ad clan and the Dir near the main airport in the town of Galkayo, a local journalist told the Integrated Regional Information Networks.

Though disputes over land triggered the outbreak of violence, local accounts said the two clans had fought in the past over water and pasture rights.

Regional Gov. Dahir Abdulkadir Aflow, said regional forces from the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland were sent to the region to mediate the dispute, the IRIN report said.

Aflow said there were no outbreaks of violence Tuesday.