August 08, 2007	Wednesday	Rajab 23, 1428

DARRA ADAMKHEL, Aug 7: Local Taliban and rival tribesmen took control of the Peshawar-Kohat highway after armed clashes between the two groups left one person dead and eight others injured.

The Taliban blocked the road from the Kohat side while the tribesmen took control of the Peshawar side and the rivals took positions on hilltops with sophisticated weapons, including rocket-launchers and heavy machine-guns.

Witnesses said that all vehicular traffic bound for Karachi and Peshawar was suspended at 2pm and the traffic was not restored till late night.

The warring groups were firing from their positions with heavy and light machine-guns, forcing the people to remain indoors.

Witnesses said the Taliban had besieged a village, asking tribesmen to hand over some people involved in an alleged attack on some members of the Taliban.

The controversy began after local Taliban killed Ameer Said alias Charag, an alleged car lifter, on Monday in Darra area.Witnesses said that in order to avenge the killing of Charag, members of his tribe attacked some local Taliban on Tuesday, triggering a bigger clash. Soon after the clash, scores of Taliban militants started gathering here, the witnesses said.

“This was the first time I saw the Taliban in such a large number,” said a local elder.

There were rumours of much higher casualties and people claimed the Taliban had taken away their injured and the dead, the death of only one Taliban militant could be confirmed.

The Taliban militants blew up a sweets and milk shop owned by a man whom they suspected of having links with Ameer Said. They also took away a pick-up vehicle owned by the shopkeeper.

The local Taliban on motorbikes have been patrolling the main road passing through the main Dara Bazzar. The normally bustling Dara Bazzar, known for its arms business, was completely shut on Tuesday.