Fighting between rival Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims in north-western Pakistan’s troubled tribal belt has claimed 70 lives, security officials and state media reported Sunday.
State television said another 150 people were injured as heavily armed tribesmen clashed in the Kurram district bordering Afghanistan.
Security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said at least 61 civilians had died in fighting in the district’s main town Parachinar, where sectarian clashes in April left 55 dead.
The military said nine soldiers from the army and paramilitary forces had also died, with 15 wounded, after being caught in the cross-fire.
Witnesses reported continued fighting overnight despite a curfew in place since Friday.
Fighters from the Shi’ite-dominated Turi tribe and the mainly Sunni Muslim Mengal clan were perched on rooftops and hills overlooking Parachinar, armed with rockets and a mix of heavy and light weapons, witnesses said.
”Both are well entrenched and they are firing on each other,” one resident said.
”I can’t give you the exact casualty figure as fighting is still going on. Last night [Saturday] we had 45 dead and up to 90 wounded,” said local administration chief Fakhre Alam.
”The death toll might have gone up as both sides are using heavy weapons,” he added.
Chief military spokesperson Major General Waheed Arshad said the soldiers who died had not been involved part in the fighting.
”They were caught in cross-fire between the rival groups,” he said.
”Army and paramilitary troops have been deployed in the area to control the situation and avert sectarian clashes.”
He confirmed there were heavy casualties with a death toll of ”above 60”, adding that the situation in the area remained tense.
Residents, witnesses and state media had put the death toll on Saturday at 30 by the time night fell.
Shi’ites account for 20% of Pakistan’s 160-million Sunni-dominated population but are in the majority in Parachinar. – AFP
