Kiev, Sep 19 (IANS): Heavy fighting between government troops and independence-seeking insurgents broke out once again in Ukraine's eastern regions, killing at least five people over the past 24 hours, authorities said Friday.

The death toll is mounting from sustained artillery strikes and shelling in the residential area of rebel-held cities, Xinhua reported.

At least one person was killed by artillery fire overnight in the insurgent stronghold of Donetsk, the municipal council said.

At the outskirts of Donetsk, shelling continued near the airport and also hit the town of Makeevka, killing at least two civilians and wounding three others.

Andrei Lysenko, spokesman for Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, said at least two government soldiers were killed and three were wounded over the past day.

Six Ukrainian troops went missing after a confrontation with rebels and their whereabouts remain unknown, Lysenko said, stressing that under a ceasefire agreement, government soldiers could open fire only in response to insurgent attacks.

The renewed heavy battles in Donetsk and its outskirts threw a shadow on the ceasefire deal signed Sep 9.

The truce accord was inked between Ukraine's government and the insurgent leadership to pave the way for a solution to the crisis in the eastern regions, which left more than 3,000 people dead.