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Sectarian Clashes in Pakistan Leave 20 Dead
The death toll from violent clashes between Shia and Sunni tribes in northwestern Pakistan has reached 20, according to local officials. The conflict, centered in the Kurram district near the Afghan border, has entered its fifth day and has left at least 75 people injured.
This area has a long history of sectarian violence, with recent hostilities reminiscent of a deadly confrontation in July that claimed 35 lives and only ceased after a jirga, or tribal council, brokered a ceasefire. As officials strive to negotiate another truce, the situation remains precarious.
"Dozens of homes have been damaged, and all efforts by the government and neighboring tribes to halt the fighting have been unsuccessful," a senior administrative official in Kurram, speaking anonymously, told AFP.
The clashes have escalated in intensity, with heavy weaponry, including mortar shells, being deployed. Aftab Alam, the law minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, noted, "One side is reportedly using Iranian-made weapons, which will be investigated further."
Violence in this region is particularly acute, reflecting deeper societal tensions. The Shiite community in predominantly Sunni Pakistan has long faced discrimination and targeted violence, highlighting ongoing sectarian divisions that threaten stability in the area.