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Infighting among Afghan Taliban groups claim 8 lives: official

Xinhua, May 14, 2017 Adjust font size:

At least eight Taliban militants have been killed and several others injured as clash erupted between supporters of two Taliban leaders in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province, provincial police chief Toriali Abdiani said Sunday.

"The clash flared up between supporters of Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of Taliban main faction and his rival Mullah Rasoul Akhund in Rubat area last night. As a result, eight militants from both sides have been killed and several others injured from both sides," Abdiani told Xinhua.

Confirming the incident, Zabihullah Majahid who claims to speak for Taliban main faction in contact with media insisted that six loyalists of Mullah Rasoul had been killed and four others injured.

However, a local of Rubat area confirmed the clash between the two Taliban groups and said the infighting erupted Saturday night has been continuing.

Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada became the leader of the Taliban group in May 2016 following the death of previous Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour who was killed by a U.S. drone attack.

However, Mullah Rasoul Akhund has challenged Haibatullah's leadership and since then both sides have fought several times in parts of the conflict-hit Afghanistan. Enditem