At least 16 militants were today killed in Pakistan's restive northwest in the latest bout of violence in nearly a week of infighting between rival factions of the banned Taliban that has claimed 40 lives so far.
The clash started between two rival Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) factions a few days ago and the cause of infighting was said to be interference in matters under each other's domains.
At least 10 people were killed during a clash in North Waziristan's Shawal tehsil and several were injured, Dawn News reported.
The latest clash came a day after the expiry of a 40-day ceasefire with the government.
The casualties in Shawal took place when the two factions exchanged fire.
The clashes first erupted on Sunday in Shawal between supporters of Khan Said Sajna and followers of the late Hakimullah Mehsud group.
In a separate incident, six militants, including Sher Amanullah, a commander of the Haqqani network, were killed when a roadside bomb hit their vehicle near the town of Dattakhel, media reports said, quoting intelligence and militant sources.
Amanullah was said to be a close associate of Mullah Sangeen Zadran, who was blacklisted as a terrorist by the UN and US and was killed in a US drone strike in North Waziristan in September last year.
Militant sources had earlier suggested that differences emerged after Sajna, a senior commander, was rejected for the TTP leadership, after then-leader Mehsud was killed in a US drone strike last November.
The TTP has long been driven by infighting.
Sajna had been seen as a strong candidate to become TTP chief following Mehsud's death. But the movement's ruling council at the last minute elected Mullah Fazlullah, who hails from Swat and is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan.
The TTP has remained silent on the matter of infighting in which over 30 deaths have been reported over a couple of days.
Both factions are part of the TTP umbrella group, which has been waging a bloody seven-year insurgency against the state.
