Al-Qaida, Taliban rift emerges

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - The Taliban's decision to talk to the United States is stirring up tensions with al-Qaida as the Afghan militia comes under pressure to dump its terror allies in the name of peace.

Times are hard for al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The network has been weakened significantly by US drone strikes on its hideouts, last May's killing of founder Osama bin Laden and by finances drying up.

And since the Afghan Taliban declared themselves in favor of talks with the US in Qatar that could help end a decade of war in Afghanistan, al-Qaida has felt increasingly abandoned in its fight against the West.