Forces loyal to ethnic Uzbek warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostum have seized a district in northern Afghanistan after clashes with rival troops, a Pakistan-based news agency is reporting.
The rival forces battling for control of Qale Zaal district are linked to the month-old interim government's two top defence chiefs and the violence has stirred fears about the stability of the UN-backed administration.
The latest round of fighting ended after Dostum's troops drove their rivals out of Qale Zaal, 38 miles northwest of the town of Kunduz, the private Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said, citing unidentified sources.
Gen Dostum is deputy defence minister and the rival ethnic Tajik force is loyal to Defence Minister Mr Mohammad Fahim. AIP said the clashes for control of Qale Zaal erupted on Sunday and several fighters from both sides were killed or wounded.
But Gen Dostum said later on Wednesday he fully backed the new administration.
"We have very good relations and communication with the interim government," he told reporters in Turkey before meeting Foreign Minister Mr Ismail Cem.
"There is news of clashes with Rabbani's forces," Dostum said. "It is not like this, it was just a small matter between the two commanders. But we straightened it out and put things back on path," he added.
An official under Fahim denied there had been any fighting in recent days.