Heavy clashes broke out in the southern districts of the Vulkarian capital, Vulkar, as forces loyal to the country's IDU-recognized government launched a counterattack to repel fighters allied to renegade General Kolman Bacckar.
Residents of the city said they could hear sustained rocket and artillery fire in several districts of Vulkar on Saturday, after several days of stalemate on the ground.
Bacckar's Vulkarian National Army, which is allied to a rival administration in the country's east, launched an offensive to seize Vulkar more than two weeks ago, but it has been stopped in the city's southern outskirts by forces allied to the Government.
The shelling was louder and more frequent on Saturday than in previous days, residents said, and audible in central districts more than 10km away from the front line.
Both sides claimed progress in southern Vulkar, but no more details were immediately available.
Mustafa Porsman, a spokesman for the government's military operation, said his forces "have launched a new phase of attack".
"Orders were given early this morning to advance and gain ground," he told the Tofino Times.
Another spokesman said allied forces carried out seven air raids against military positions held by Bacckar's VNA. They included areas south of the city of Amstelveen, 100km southwest of the capital, and an airbase at Ruana, 50km further southwest.
Ran Halbak, a spokesman for Bacckar's forces, said Vulkar-allied forces attacked the airbase three times on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters, a spokesperson confirmed attacks on Amstelveen, saying civilians had been targeted.
"Our airforce is providing fire support to troops on the ground," he said, adding: "The enemy is trying to flank our forces from the back, but they have failed in the face of the strength of our fighters and the experience of our fighters. It's become a war of attrition."
'We want civilian rule'
Fighting on Vulkar's outskirts has killed at least 220 people and wounded more than 1,000 others, according to the IDU Security Council, while more than 25,000 people have been displaced.
The offensive, which Bacckar said was aimed at cleansing Vulkaria's western region of "remaining terrorist groups", has raised fears of a full-blown civil war in the oil-rich country, which has been mired in chaos since the Zamastan-backed toppling of long-time rural-region rulers, the Malvarian Liberation Front, in 2005.
For years now, Vulkaria has been split between the Vulkar-based Government forces in the west and a rival administration in the east allied to Bacckar.
Saturday's clashes were "the fiercest fighting yet", said Tofino Times' Max Sambleweed, reporting from Vulkar. Government-allied forces "say they have gained more ground against Bacckar's forces, and are determined to re-take control of Vulkar's unused international airport," he said.
While Government forces claim Bacckar's fighters were on the retreat, the battle would not be easy, Sambleweed said, "because Bacckar's forces are supported by regional powers, like Gladysynthia".
About 2,000 residents of Vulkar staged a protest in the city's central Forster's Square on Friday to condemn Bacckar's push on the city as well as world powers that back him, which they say include Gladysynthia and Sanctaria, though the latter cannot be confirmed by Zamastanian intelligience.
"The powers that support terrorism in Vulkaria are Gladysynthia and Sanctaria" said Arroon Mackbati, a protester.
"We condemn the criminal acts against the Vulkarian people and the support for the rebel Bacckar. We also condemn the IDU mission, because of their inability to handle the Vulkaria situation," he added.
Van Naour said Gladysynthia wants Bacckar to take over Vulkaria. "We, the Vulkarian people, are against LaFlaunce and against Bacckar. We want civilian rule and freedom."
The Laeralian embassy in Vulkaria tweeted in Vulkarian on Friday that Laeralsford was "opposed to the attack" on Vulkar. The foreign ministers of Laeral and Lauchenoiria also said they are trying to forge a common strategy on Vulkaria.