Battles between Taliban factions in Afghanistan over a new leader have killed around 50 men from each side.

The declaration comes from Mohmand Nostrayar, governor of the Arghandab district of Zabul province. ISIS has joined Mullah Mohammad Rasool, earlier elected as the “supreme leader” of the Taliban, in the battle against the Taliban faction which does not support Rasool.

The other faction is led by Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, who assumed power after Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar died. While Omar had been dead for two years, the Afghan government only made the announcement in July.

A Taliban commander loyal to Mansoor said Rasool’s faction needed ISIS as it did not have enough numbers to battle against Mansoor.

"It is obvious that Mullah Rasool's group can't face Akhtar Mansoor alone so they need ISIS,” Fox News quoted the commander who spoke on condition of anonymity. “We said that before and now it has been proven."

Rasool’s deputy Mansoor Dadullah is reportedly leading Rasool’s forces against Mansoor’s. Dadullah’s men are apparently suffering a higher number of blows at the moment.

Ghulam Jilani Farahi, the deputy police chief for the Zabul province said around 30 people were injured in the fighting.

“The fighting started from early Saturday morning in Khak-i-Afghan and Arghandab districts of Zabul province,” he told AFP. “About 60 fighters of Mullah Dadullah and 20 of Akhtar Mansour have been killed.”

The provincial governor's spokesman Islam Gul Seyal said the battles between two Taliban factions were still ongoing

Farahi added some foreign fighters from Uzbekistan had also been killed while battling for Dadullah’s men. While the official declared numbers of those who had been either injured or killed, it is unclear how he came to know about it.

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