Death toll reaches 13 as fighting continues in Kurram

PARACHINAR: The death toll in the ongoing clashes between two tribal groups in Kurram over a land dispute rose to 13 on Saturday. Two more people were killed and several others injured in different parts of the district.

According to local residents, rivals used heavy and sophisticated weapons, including mortar shells and rocket launchers, against each other during the fighting that continues in Pewar, Tangi, Balishkhel, Khar Killay, Tari Mangal, Maqbal, Kunj Alizai, Para Chamkani Karman and other areas.

They said mortar and rocket-propelled grenades were also fired at Parachinar and Sadda, the main towns in the Kurram tribal district.

Two people have been killed and 70 others injured in the four days of fighting so far.

Clashes broke out on Wednesday over a land dispute between the tribes living in the Boshehra and Malikhel areas of Kurram district. A tribal jirga from Hangu and Orakzai districts tried to broker a ceasefire between the two warring tribes, but failed.

Traffic on main roads also remained blocked due to the ongoing shelling.

Javedullah Mahsud, deputy commissioner of Kurram, said the joint jirga of Hangu and Orakzai districts continued efforts to de-escalate the situation and bring about a ceasefire between the two tribes.

Much blood has been shed in the district due to the many disputes over ownership of land, water, forests and mountains that have arisen between the tribes of the district. In Kurram, these disputes often take on a sectarian character.