Northern Town Of Kunduz

A splinter faction of the Afghan Taliban has selected its own leader to challenge the new chief of the terror group, two insurgent commanders said today, raising fresh doubts about chances of breathing life into stalled peace talks.

Afghanistan's chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, said on Wednesday he hoped the northern Afghan town of Kunduz would be retaken in one or two days, but said its fall to the Taliban showed the need for continued foreign support for Afghan forces.

A splinter faction of the Afghan Taliban has selected its own leader to challenge the new chief of the terror group, two insurgent commanders said today, raising fresh doubts about chances of breathing life into stalled peace talks.

Afghanistan's chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, said on Wednesday he hoped the northern Afghan town of Kunduz would be retaken in one or two days, but said its fall to the Taliban showed the need for continued foreign support for Afghan forces.