A teenager shot and wounded in Northern Ireland was the latest victim of a bitter feud among rival loyalist paramilitary factions, security sources said tonight.
The UVF has been linked to the shooting of the 18-year-old who was hit in the arm as he opened a store at a building site in Portadown, Co Armagh.
The victim managed to escape to a nearby house after being pursued by gunmen. He was not badly hurt and his hospital condition was later described as "stable".
Two masked gunmen were involved in the attack and fired at least four times.
The victim's father's home was damaged three weeks ago in an attack also linked to the feud.
Earlier, three houses in the loyalist Ballysillan area of north Belfast were damaged in three attacks that police believe may have been linked.
Nobody was hurt but it is thought the front window of one of the houses was shattered by a shotgun blast.
Following today's gun attack, the North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, called on the paramilitaries to call a halt to their feud.
PA