54 killed in clashes between rival Afghan Taliban groups
According to a local police spokesman, around 40 others were wounded in the fighting that took place near the city of Herat.
At least 54 insurgents have been killed in clashes between two rival Taliban factions in Afghanistan’s Shindand district on Tuesday. Around 40 others have been injured in the incident, a local police spokesman told Reuters.
The region has seen sporadic clashes following the death of Afghan Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar in 2013. Rival groups have rejected the authority of Omar's successor, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, and have called for a new process to choose a leader, said the report.
The latest clashes were between commanders loyal to Mullah Akhtar Mansour and his rival Mullah Mohammad Rasool Akhund, the police said.
