Up to 100 Killed in Taliban Infighting in Western Afghanistan

Clashes Add to Doubts About Peace Talks

The attempt to restart Afghanistan’s peace process seems to have hit a major roadblock today with reports of renewed infighting among Afghan Taliban forces leaving as many as 100 fighters dead in Herat.

The fighting was, as before, between fighters loyal to Mullah Mansour, the Taliban leader, and Mullah Rasool, the head of a rival faction. The two sides had been in a state of truce in recent weeks, and suggestions were the split was mostly resolved.

Indeed, the sense that everyone was united behind Mansour again had fueled a push to return ot peace talks, after the last talks fell apart when Afghan officials revealed Taliban founder Mullah Omar was dead. No longer unified by a leader, the Taliban could no longer participate.

With growing military losses there is increased desperation to get the Taliban on board with the talks, though the infighting suggests this too is increasingly complicated.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.