June 23, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-us-Sani 18, 1429

LANDI KOTAL, June 22: Clashes between two militant groups, Lashkar-i-Islam and Ansarul Islam, continued in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency on Sunday as the toll from two days of fighting rose to 15 dead and dozens wounded.

The violence began on Saturday when loyalists of Lashkar-i-Islam leader Mangal Bagh, who is trying to control the area, attacked a stronghold of Ansarul Islam, led by Ustad Mehboob.

The two sides are using mortars and rocket-propelled grenades and there were conflicting accounts of casualties.

“There’s a lot of speculation, but we have reports of 12 to 15 dead, from both sides, and dozens wounded,” said an official.

Ansarul Islam claimed over its FM radio station that it had killed 18 members of Lashkar-i-Islam and captured 10.

SUICIDE BOMBER: A suspected suicide bomber surrendered to a militant group in Jamrud, our correspondent adds. He belonged to the Baitullah Mehsud group, tribal sources said.

Locals said Khasadar personnel intercepted the teenager at a checkpoint in the Jamrud bazaar. They tried to search the suspect but he refused.

The teenager, who had his face covered, told the Khasadar to stay away as he was wearing a suicide jacket. Additional security personnel were called in to handle the situation, but he refused to surrender.

The suspect went to the railway tracks and sat there for more than three hours as a large number of people gathered at the spot.

Activists of a militant group held negotiations with the suspect and took him to their hideout.