Republicans in Belfast have denied reports that a feud could erupt between the Provisional IRA and republican dissidents.
The RUC district commander for west Belfast, Chief Supt Brian McCargo, expressed concern about the upsurge in "Real IRA" violence across the North.
He said continuing "Real IRA" recruitment could result in a republican version of the UDA-UVF feud which ended earlier this year. However, both mainstream and dissident re publican sources dismissed his claims.
"This is complete nonsense," said a Provisional IRA source in west Belfast. Last October, the Provisional IRA shot dead "Real IRA" member Joe O'Connor in Ballymurphy.
Tensions ran high between the two groups following the murder but have since waned. A "Real IRA" source said: "There is no basis this RUC claim. No republican has anything to gain by becoming involved in a feud situation."
A Continuity IRA source said there had been no recent confrontations or other incidents involving dissidents and the Provisional IRA in west Belfast.
In an interview with the Irish News, Chief Supt McCargo said the biggest security threat came from the "Real IRA" and other dissident groups.
"Derry and some Border areas are more obvious examples but there is no doubt there are `Real IRA' elements operating in west Belfast. They are active in the area and constantly trying to recruit both there and throughout Northern Ireland.
"We are concerned about the situation and where you have rival organisations, as in loyalism, there is always the likelihood it will boil over."