MIRAMSHAH: Thirteen militants have been killed on Tuesday as infighting between rival Taliban groups restarted in Shawal Tehsil of North Waziristan Agency.

The latest violence comes a few days after a ceasefire which the militants claimed to have reached through mediation by top commanders.

Official and tribal sources confirmed that the clashes had started early Tuesday morning between Sheryar Mehsud and Khan Said alias Sajna.

According to official sources, several other militants have also been injured in the Shawal mountains near the Pak-Afghan border.

The infighting between the two groups have claimed more than 50 lives during the last few weeks.

Sources said that the death toll is likely to rise.

The Sajna and Sheryar groups of the TTP have been at odds since the death of Hakimullah and Waliur Rehman Mehsud in US drone strikes.

The rival factions have accused each other of grabbing power in order to control South Waziristan’s Mehsud tribal area.

Sajna had been considered the right hand man of Waliur Rehman, whereas Sheryar was a confidant of Hakimullah Mehsud.

Their slain leaders had also been at loggerheads after the death of TTP founder Baitullah Mehsud.