The trial is taking place at Maidstone Crown Court

by Keith Hunt

A violent clash between rival gangs of Afghan youths ended in tragedy with one of them stabbed to death and others injured, a court heard.

The Dari and Pashtun groups met in a small flat in Folkestone to discuss and settle their differences.

But several of the Daris went armed with knives and violence soon erupted, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

Two witnesses later told police they saw Fazullhaq Walizada, 18, inflict the single fatal wound to the abdomen of 17-year-old Osman Sherzad.

He died in the William Harvey Hospital, Ashford.

Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, said four others – Farid Hussani, 18, Eraij Faqirzada, 18, and two 17-year-old boys – were equally guilty as part of a "joint enterprise".

Walizada, of Channel House, Bradstone Road, Folkestone, Farid Hussani, of Folkestone Road, Dover, Eraij Faqirzada, of no fixed address, and the two other youths, who cannot be identified, one from Ashford and the other from Tunbridge Wells, all deny murder and violent disorder.

Parwiz Rahimi, 18, of Windsor Street, Liverpool, Parwiz Dilsoz, 19, of Dover Road, Folkestone, deny violent disorder.

Hussani also denies wounding Saidoullah Sayed with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Dilsoz is the only member of the Pashtun group in the dock, the six others being Daris.

Miss Laws said they were among a large number of young men who entered the UK from various regions of Afghanistan. Many arrived on their own to claim asylum.

The Pashtuns and Daris came from different communities and, historically, had religious and cultural differences.

"Many of these young men were unfortunately housed in close proximity with each other," Miss Laws told the jury of six men and six women.

"Because of their differences, tension mounted between them over a period of time."

A week before the stabbings Baraktoullah Khan was attacked at his home in Black Bull Road and was moved to nearby five-storey flats in Marine Terrace.

It was at his new address that the fatal meeting took place on January 24.

"The prosecution evidence in the main is that the violence was started by the Daris," said Miss Laws. "Some were armed with knives. It is clear they contemplated that serious unlawful violence would be used."

The trial continues.