Nine killed in Ukraine fighting

At least nine people were killed and 64 wounded in the past 24 hours as fighting continued between independence-seeking insurgents and government forces in eastern Ukraine, according to reports Thursday.

Andrei Lysenko, spokesman for the National Security and Defence Council, told reporters that one Ukrainian soldier was killed and four were wounded over the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the rebel-run Novorossia news agency said at least three insurgents were killed and 36 others hospitalized after a day of fighting with government forces, Xinhua reported.

The centre of the rebels' stronghold of Donetsk came under heavy shelling overnight. As a result, Donetsk's municipal council said, five civilians were killed and 24 wounded.

Also, a private house in Donetsk was destroyed by a mortar shell and several others were badly damaged, the municipal council said in a statement.

Bombardments have disrupted gas supplies in two districts of the city, the municipal council said, adding that artillery and gun fire could still be heard in Donetsk as of Thursday morning.

Donetsk has become a centre of fighting between government forces and insurgents in recent weeks, as the rebels seek to seize the city's airport which is now under the control of Ukrainian troops.

The insurgents and government have been trading accusations over the shelling and violation of a ceasefire deal, which was agreed upon Sep 5, in a bid to pave the way for a solution to the conflict.

According to the latest report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, over 3,660 people have been killed and around 8,750 wounded since the start of the violent clashes in eastern Ukraine in mid-April.