At least two military officers from Somalia's separatist republic of Somaliland were gunned down Saturday in a bloody battle in Togdheer region, Radio Garowe reports.

Officials from Somaliland brought voter-registration materials under the guard of soldiers, according to locals in Widh Widh town, in Buhodle district.

A group of traditional elders and community leaders met with the Somaliland commanders, requesting that they peacefully leave Widh Widh town.

Fighting later erupted after local clan militias attacked the Somaliland soldiers, killing the commanding officer named Abdirisak Jama Hersi, alias Shine Galaal.

The local militias support Puntland, a neighboring region that is anti-independence. Keyse Abdi Yusuf, the Puntland-appointed Widh Widh town mayor, reportedly led the local militias.

Somaliland soldiers are reported to have withdrawn from Widh Widh town, after suffering two casualties.

Abdullahi Ali Ibrahim, Somaliland's defense minister, confirmed the death toll on local radio. But he said the two military officers were killed in a "sneak attack," and not during an all-out battle among fighters.

Mr. Ibrahim, who is currently visiting Sool region, also claimed that the voter-registration process is "going well" across the region.

An independent journalist in Huddun, a district in Sool, told Radio Garowe that Somaliland voter-registration officials "cannot enter the town," due to threats by local militias.