Infighting between Taliban rival factions kill 5 insurgents in W. Afghanistan

Infighting between supporters and opponents of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor in the western Herat province left five fighters dead early Tuesday, a local official said.

"The clash erupted between Mullah Sia Khan, a Taliban commander loyal to Mullah Akhtar Mansoor and his rival commander Mullah Toofan of Mullah Mohammad Rasoul's faction in Niak village of Obe district in the wee hours of today which lasted for hours and left five insurgents dead," district police chief, Shir Agha Alkozai, told Xinhua.

All those killed in the fighting belonged to Akhtar Mansoor's faction, the official added.

Taliban militants have yet to make comments.

This is the second bloody fighting between the two rival factions in the western region over the past three days.

On Sunday, seven more militants were killed from both sides as clashes flared up in Balamurghab district of the western Badghis province, according to Balamurghab district governor, Ahmad Zia Akazai.

Militants loyal to Mullah Rasoul also publicly executed three fighters from Mansoor group in Balamurghab district on Monday after capturing them alive, Akazai asserted.

Since confirmation of the death of Taliban former leader Mullah Mohammad Omar in August last year, Omar's deputy Mullah Akhtar Mansoor succeeded him. However, his rival Mullah Mohammad Rasoul challenged Mansoor's leadership and since then fighting occasionally erupts between the two groups in parts of the country. Endit