At least nine people have been killed in clashes between Oromo and Somali groups in the southern Ethiopian border town of Moyale, forcing at least 2,500 people to flee across the border into neighboring Kenya, according to local hospital and Kenyan government officials.

The fighting broke out on Wednesday and continued into Friday, with residents reporting sustained gunfire. 

A hospital official on the Ethiopian side of Moyale told Reuters that about 30 injured people had been admitted over several days, many with injuries caused by heavy weapons. Four died on Thursday and another five on Friday, the official said.

Images verified by Reuters showed a bulldozer burning near a petrol station and people overturning fuel-dispensing equipment. 

The violence has also affected people on the Kenyan side. A police report said a Kenyan woman was struck in the neck by a stray bullet. The bullet was removed at a private hospital, and she was reported to be in stable condition. Kenya Red Cross said it had begun providing emergency aid to displaced families, initially targeting 1,000 households.

(With input from wires)