LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), Aug 3: Three people were killed and a woman was injured in fresh fighting between rival groups in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency, sources said on Friday.

The clashes in the Khujal Khel area of the Qambar Khel tribe followed an attack by a joint force of the Lashkar-i-Islam and the Haji Namdar group on an important position of the Said Akbar group on Thursday.

In the fierce gun battle, the Lashkar men took control of the Khuja Khel hilltop. Two supporters of the Said Akbar group were killed while defending their position. A passerby woman sustained bullet injuries.

On Friday, Said Akbar supporters regrouped and after another clash reclaimed the Khuja Khel hilltop. A Laskhar-i- Islam supporter was killed in the clash. The area around Khuja Khel is under the control of Said Akbar, an important supporter of Pir Saifur Rehman.

Pir Saifur Rehman was evicted from Bara in February 2006 after a jirga decision. His opponent Mufti Munir Shakir was also forced to leave Bara later in March that year. Supporters of Pir Saifur Rehman and Mufti Munir Shakir have been engaged in a bloody conflict since then.