KABUL - Dozens of Afghan tribal fighters were reported killed last Thursday in the southeastern Afghan town of Gardez as rival factions battled for control of the town with missiles and artillery. The Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said 38 people had been killed and the faction battling the forces loyal to the governor of the Paktia province appointed by the fledgling interim government had gained the upper hand.

„There is street fighting inside the town,“ one resident said from the town, the capital of Paktia province.

Abdul Wali, a member of the town‘s tribal council, also a son of the newly appointed governor Padshah Khan Zadrantold, said by satellite telephone the fighting, which began on Wednesday, had intensified on Thursday. He said the two sides were battling in the town with missiles, mortars and artillery.

Zadran was appointed by the interim government in Kabul but the AIP said some tribal leaders and former mujahideen (holy warrior) commanders had refused to accept the appointment.

The fighting in Gardez, some 120 km south of the capital Kabul, pits Pashtun tribal forces loyal to Zadran against rival Pashtun forces under a commander called Haji Saifullah. AIP said Saifullah‘s forces had taken control of the governor‘s house. Residents told Reuters Saifullah‘s forces had captured a fortress overlooking the town, the police headquarters and the governor‘s offices. Zadran‘s forces appeared to be still holding the town jail.

Saifullah is from the Ahmadzai clan of the majority Pashtun ethnic group while Zadran is from the Zadran clan of the same ethnic group. Zadran supports Hamid Karzai, leader of the interim government, and was among the first provincial officials appointed after the interim administration took over on December 22. The fighting comes as Karzai is out of the country on official visits to the United Staes and Britain. Wali said on Wednesday some 300 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters were poised to launch an attack on the town, but on Thursday he said he had no new information about those forces. Wali said he had no details about casualties from the fighting. American special forces based in the town were not getting involved in the fighting but U.S. fighter jets were circling overhead. They had not launched any attacks.

Saifullah has accused his rival Zadran of sending U.S. forces false information about the presence of Taliban and al Qaeda fighters in order to trigger U.S. airstrikes on his enemies. A convoy of tribal elders travelling to the inauguration of the interim government in Kabul in December was bombed by U.S. forces near Gardez after being fed false information, some tribal officials said. U.S. forces said they had bombed a convoy of leaders of the Taliban and Osama bin Laden‘s al Qaeda fighters. Reuters