Aghan faction demands end to violence

A key faction in western Afghanistan has called on President Hamid Karzai to act on his promise to end the rule of the gun in the country and to replace the governor of Herat province, Ismael Khan.

The call by supporters of a regional leader, Commander Amanullah Khan, follows recent fighting around Kalantar between the two sides.

The fighting has now died down but a spokesman for Commander Amanullah says civilians feel threatened by the prospect of further attacks by forces loyal to Ismael Khan.

Ismael Khan says he deployed forces at the request of regional elders who had complained of looting.

Sources close to Commander Amanullah say the fighting began when his men tried to set up a checkpoint on a key road linking Herat to Iran.

The BBC Kabul correspondent says Commander Amanullah is identified with local Pashtuns who live close to the Iranian border.

She says the Pashtuns believe Ismael Khan is using ethnic differences to increase his power.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service