May 21, 2007	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 04, 1428

LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), May 20: The death toll in Saturday’s clashes between Ansaar ul Islam and Lashkar-i-Islam reached six, said official sources in Bara.

Bara political tehsildar Roshan Khan told Dawn that there were conflicting reports about the exact number of casualties, but so far they had confirmed the killing of six people from both sides.

A leader of Ansaar ul Islam, Haji Mustamin, claimed that four of his supporters and six opponents were killed in the fighting.

But his claim was refuted by the Lashkar spokesman Jahanzeb who insisted that only three people from their side were injured.

Heavy fighting started between the two groups in hilly areas of Amir Khwalai and Shah Kot, some 35 kilometres west of Bara tehsil.

Fresh clashes were reported on Sunday morning after a let-up in the fighting on Saturday evening.

The Lashkar-i-Islam claimed that they had taken control of two important hill-top positions which were previously occupied by their opponents.

Two people, one of them law-enforcement personnel, were injured when Lashkar activists opened fire on a private car at Qambarabad chowk near Bara bazaar.

Eyewitnesses said that the car was driven by some accomplices of an outlaw Dawlat Khan alias Dawlatey.

The car inmates were plying loud music on their record player.

The Lashkar activists, who have banned playing music in vehicles, signalled the car to stop, but the driver tried to speed away.

The Lashkar men opened fire on the car which caused injuries to Zahid Khan and an FC man Afsar Jan.

The driver of the car, however, drove away the vehicle.

It was learnt that an FC vehicle was also slightly damaged in the firing.

Soon after the incident, the local administration deployed Khasadar force and FC on the main roads and buildings.

An additional check post was also set up in the Bara bazaar.