At least 43 people have been killed and more than 200 injured in Pakistan’s restive northwestern Kurram tribal district bordering Afghanistan after a land dispute turned into a sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
According to officials, heavy clashes began on July 24 in Boshera village in Upper Kurram district over a land dispute, a region that has witnessed deadly tribal conflicts, including sectarian clashes and militant attacks in the past.
The clashes spread to other areas, including Peewar, Tangi, Balishkhel, Khaar Kalay, Maqbal, Kunj Alizai, Para Chamkani and Karman.
Police said the officials with the help of tribal elders, military, and district administration have settled a truce between Shia and Sunni tribes in Boshera, Malikhel and Dandar areas.
However, firing is still ongoing n some other parts of the district and efforts are being made to reach a ceasefire in the remaining areas too, officials said.
Residents said the tribals used heavy and sophisticated weapons, including mortar shells and rocket launchers.
The tribal fighters have moved away from the trenches, and it is now under the control of the law enforcers.
"There were at least four waves of attacks in last night's gunbattle resulting in more casualties," an official said.
All educational institutions and markets in the region have been closed, while traffic on main roads remained suspended.
Heavy contingents of police and security forces have been deployed in the affected areas, officials added.
The mountainous Kurram region has experienced severe conflicts among tribes, religious groups, sectarian clashes, and militant attacks over the past several decades.
The government's Home and Tribal Affairs Department reports that currently, eight major conflicts are ongoing in Kurram, with some continuing from the pre-partition era.
The latest violence erupted last week between a Shia and a Sunni family over property ownership. The violence soon spread to several villages and settlements, eventually engulfing the entire district.
