'Fighting erupts between Taliban rivals'

The Pakistani government has received reports that shooting broke out between two rivals for the leadership of the Pakistani Taliban, said Interior Minister Rehman Malik today.

The Pakistani government has received reports that shooting broke out between two rivals for the leadership of the Pakistani Taliban, the interior minister said on Saturday.

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"The infighting was between Wali-ur-Rehman and Hakimullah Mehsud," Interior Minister Rehman Malik told Reuters. "We have information that one of them has been killed. Who was killed we will be able to say later after confirming."

Pakistani news channels were carrying unconfirmed reports that Hakimullah Mehsud had been killed at the meeting to decide who would succeed slain leader Baitullah Mehsud in Waziristan, a northwest tribal region bordering Afghanistan.