Officials say gunbattles between the Taliban and another Islamist faction have killed at least 50 people in northeastern Afghanistan. The militants are apparently fighting for control of several villages where the central government has almost no presence, AP reported.
Local police official Zalmai Mangal says the fighting in Baghlan province appears to be a power struggle between local Taliban forces and the Hezb-e-Islami militia loyal to warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
Violent clashes between anti-government Islamist factions are rare, although various militias have their own agendas and power struggles are relatively common.