Fighting flares at Ukraine's Donetsk airport

DONETSK, Ukraine - Agence France-Presse

Smoke rises over a residential area in the north of the rebel-held city of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 22, 2014. AP Photo

Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels were battling around the airport near the insurgent stronghold of Donetsk on Sept. 23, sending flames and clouds of black smoke into the sky, AFP journalists said.
      
The fighting erupted despite a new truce agreement reached Saturday which calls for forces on both sides to cease fire and pull back from the frontline to create a buffer zone.
      
The airport, which was severely damaged in a fierce battle in May, was hit by heavy artillery and the rattle of automatic weapons fire could also be heard, the journalists said.
      
Donetsk is the largest insurgent-held city in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine but the airport remains under the control of government forces despite numerous rebel assaults.