The Independent Monitoring Commission has advised the Irish and British governments of its ongoing concern about the two recent murders in Belfast resulting from the feud between rival loyalist groups.
The commission, which monitors paramilitary ceasefires, has indicated that the feud between the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Loyalist Volunteer Force will be a particular focus of inquiry by its four members over the next few weeks.
Last week Craig McCausland, 20, was shot dead at the house he shared with his partner and two children in north Belfast.
His family has denied he had any link to the LVF or any other paramilitary group.
Earlier this month, 25-year-old Jameson Lockhart, who associated with people linked to the LVF, was shot dead as he worked on a demolition site in east Belfast. That attack was also blamed on the UVF.
There have been a number of other incidents, including the shooting several times of a man walking two dogs on the Upper Crumlin Road in north Belfast on the same night that Mr McCausland was murdered. That attack was blamed on the LVF.
The UVF was also blamed for a gun attack on a house in east Belfast on Monday.
The feud has once again put the links between the Progressive Unionist Party, which has one Assembly member, and the UVF and Red Hand Commando, under the spotlight.
Yesterday, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain said he was considering withholding the party's Assembly allowance for another year following an IMC report in May, which indicated the UVF and Red Hand Commando remain active and violent and heavily involved in crime.
