23 June 2016

News Story: Rift within Taliban further widens as infighting claims 20 lives in W. Afghanistan

KABUL, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Differences within Taliban have further widened as fighting between supporters of Taliban leader Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada and commander of breakaway group Mawlawi Mohammad Rasoul Akhund have left at least 20 people dead from both sides in the western Herat province since weekend, local officials said.

The clash, according to Herat provincial governor Jilani Farhad, flared up in Adraskan and Pashtun Zarghon districts on Sunday and ended on Tuesday, during which some two dozen fighters had been killed and several others injured.

Preliminary reports from the area suggested that up to nine fighters loyal to Akhundzada and 11 others from opponent faction had been killed.

Read the full story at Xinhua