20 militants killed in Afghan Taliban infighting

 At least 20 Afghan Taliban militants were killed in Herat province as the differences have widened between supporters of Taliban leader Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada and commander of breakaway group Rasoul Akhund, officials said.

The clash flared up in Adraskan and Pashtun Zarghon districts between Sunday and Tuesday, during which around two dozen fighters were killed and several others injured. Preliminary reports suggested that up to nine fighters loyal to Akhundzada and 11 from the opponent faction were killed. 

The clash, according to the official, flared up between Mullah Asmatullah, the commander of Taliban’s main faction led by Akhundzada, and commander Abdul Manan Niazi, a Mullah Rasoul loyalist, in Abgarmak area of Adraskan district and soon covered parts of the Pashtun Zarghon district.