Rival gangs’ disputes have caused more than a dozen shootings in Fairfield area

A TURF war is being blamed for several violent incidents since January in Sydney’s west, including a deadly shooting last month.

Police investigate the shooting of Adrian Buxton at Colyton. Picture: Chris Pavlich

THE shooting deaths of two men, ­including an innocent bystander, have been linked to a violent drug war that has seen fire bombings, shootings and stabbings become a regular occurrence.

For the past year, rival gangs DLASTHR (The Last Hour) and The True Kings, branches of the Assyrian Kings, have been fighting over drug turf at Fairfield, in Sydney’s southwest.

More than a dozen shootings and at least five more violent incidents since January have been attributed to escalating gang violence, including a shooting last month that left a young man in a coma.

But investigators are now extending the spate of incidents to two shootings deaths that took place earlier this year outside of the Fairfield area. They believe several people ­allegedly involved in the deaths of Qusay Al Mhanawi and Adrian Buxton were linked to the drug trade ­operating in the area.

The shooting took place in Francis St earlier this year. Picture: John Grainger

Adrian Buxton was the victim of a gangland-style execution.

A police source said detectives were looking at the motives behind the two killings to help crack the drug gang structures in Fairfield and put a stop to the escalating violence.

Mr Al Mhanawi was shot in his car after being caught in the crossfire on a street in Heckenberg in March. Matthew Russell has been charged with murder after Mr Al Mhanawi died from head and chest wounds.

Police will allege the shots were meant for two brothers who were in an altercation with Russell earlier that night.

The murder of married father-of-one Adrian Buxton at Colyton in May has also been linked to the drug wars. Mr Buxton was putting out garbage bins at his Colyton home when he was ­executed, while his wife and son were inside.

There is no suggestion that Matthew Russell had anything to do with Mr Buxton’s death or any other shooting incident.

Recent strife near Fairfield.

The two shooting deaths are just two cases on a long list of incidents connected to the ongoing drug violence, which is being investigated by NSW police.