New talks to end a feud between rival loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland have begun, it emerged tonight.
With the bloodletting continuing in Belfast, church leaders held separate meetings in the city with Ulster Defence Association leaders and Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair, the commander they expelled.
Tentative discussions took place in a bid to end the shooting war between the UDA and its rivals in the Loyalist Volunteer Force.
Two men have been murdered and several others wounded in gun attacks since festering tensions erupted into open violence last month.
A man shot in the head last night in the latest attack in east Belfast on Monday night is still seriously ill in hospital.
But in an initiative sanctioned by the leaders of the three main Protestant churches, ministers are hoping to find a resolution.
The Rev Mervyn Gibson, chairman of the umbrella Loyalist Commission set up to broker a truce in a previous dispute, tonight refused to comment after he met the two sides.
But a source close to the talks described them as a first step towards ending the internecine war.
He said: "This was a listening exercise to see where people are at."
It is understood Mr Gibson and other churchmen were told during discussions with the five so-called UDA brigadiers that it was up to the LVF to make a peace gesture.
They are furious at being blamed for the murder of top LVF man Stephen Warnock in Newtownards, Co Down last month which sparked the trouble.
It is believed the UDA's inner council has indicated to the clergymen they want their rivals to acknowledge they were not behind the Warnock killing.
Within days of that shooting the UDA's east Belfast boss, Jim Gray, survived an assassination bid when he was shot in the face.
Adair, the UDA's west Belfast commander, was then kicked out of the organisation after being accused of siding with the LVF.
A loyalist source close to the negotiations insisted there was no chance of Adair or his mentor John White - who was also ejected - being allowed back into the UDA.
"That just will not happen," he said.
"An internal decision was taken where two people were expelled and that's the end of that."
It is now expected that the clergymen will meet with LVF chiefs to see if any progress can be made.
"The ball's in the LVF's court now," one source insisted.
PA