Clashes between rival militant groups kill over 50 in Pakistan

By KUNA,

Islamabad : More than 50 people have been killed in clashes between two rival militant groups in a Pakistani tribal agency, bordering Afghanistan, despite a ceasefire brokered by two senior Afghan Taliban commanders.


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Two rival militant groups, one Baitullah Mehsud-led Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the other Taliban Commander Shah Khalid-led militant group, have been fighting for the past three days for the control of the Mohmand tribal agency.

Local press reports said Saturday that the fighting between two rival militant groups took an ugly turn yesterday, with more than 50 militants killed and dozens injured.

The two groups were running separate training centres and had set up checkpoints on roadsides, said reports.

After two days of fighting, they said, a two-member Jirga comprising two senior Afghan Taliban commanders, Ustad Mohammad Yasir and Maulvi Sadre Azam, mediated between them and brokered a ceasefire on Thursday night.

However, fighting between the well-armed militants of the two groups started again on Friday morning and was still ongoing.

Tribal sources told KUNA that the two sides were using sophisticated weapons and ammunition, including mortars and rockets. They said the three-day fighting had claimed more than 60 lives, while several were wounded on both sides.

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