Afghanistan Times
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AT-KABUL: At least 13 Taliban fighters have been killed and 12 others injured during a clash between two rival groups in the Shindand district of western Herat province, an official said Saturday.
Provincial police spokesman Jilani Farhad said the clash took place between fighters of commander Mullah Samad, loyal to Mullah Akhtar Mansour and a splinter group leader Mullah Rasool’s commander Nangyalai.
He said the infighting lasted late night and both the sides suffered heavy casualties.
Ghulam Sarwar, a resident of the area, said both the sides had suffered causalities in the overnight clashes and now each group was attempting to take revenge on the other.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi called the clash with security forces who the latter was believed to sustained losses.
The latest clash between the Taliban factions follows almost three months after a similar clash broke out between the rival groups in this province.
Taliban factions are occasionally engaging in deadly infighting, mainly due to differences over the group’s leadership, which caused following the death of the group’s founder Mullah Mohammad Omar.
Mullah Mansoor assumed charge of the group in July following the announcement of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar’s death.
His controversial appointment as new Taliban supreme leader led to widening rift among the Taliban leaders who are often entering into deadly clash.
