Reports from southern Somalia say there's been fighting for a third day between rival clans near the port city of Kismayu.

Members of the Marehan clan are said to have made further advances into territory they lost to General Mohammed Hirsi Morgan's Majerten forces in May recapturing a village Bulo Gudud thirty kilometres north of Kismayu.

The Majerten were said to be putting up stiff resistance to them outside the village to block further progress towards Kismayu.

Many people are reported to have been killed, but no figures are available; the Marehan said they'd captured thirty-one prisoners.