The Paktika Province of Afghanistan was the site of “heavy clashes” today between two distinct factions of Taliban, one an Afghan faction and one a Pakistani faction.
The Pakistani militants had crossed the border looking to attack Afghan election sites in the province, but ran afoul of the Afghan Taliban fighters, who met them at the border with guns.
Three Pakistani Taliban were confirmed killed so far, and a number of wounded were reported on each side. Many of the Pakistani fighters fled back across the border, but intermittant gun battles are still being reported late into the evening.
Ironically, both Taliban factions appear determined to attack election sites across Afghanistan, and the fighting may simply dissipate once the voting starts this weekend, as the window of opportunity for attacking the polling places opens.
The more the merrier I'd say. Still, one may hope that the US will indeed finally abandon this war soon, and that Karzai or his successor will maintain their resolve that no contingent of US troops will be permitted to remain. The Afghans and Pakistanis can then, like the Iraqis, be left alone to kill each other in peace. One can also hope that Obama continues to avoid real involvement in the Syrian war. Perhaps it'll drag on for 15 years, like the Lebanese Civil War.