Pakistan: 11 killed, several injured in clashes between two tribes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Sunni Muslim men gather to offer prayers during the funeral ceremony for victims who were killed in a tribal clash, at Kurram district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on October 13, 2024. (Pic Dilawer Khan/AFP)

At least 11 individuals were killed and eight others injured during violent clashes between two tribes in the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday, stated news agency ANI, quoting Al Jazeera.

Conflict in the district began following a shooting between rival tribes that left two people critically wounded, although the specific cause of the clashes is yet to be known.

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As tensions escalated, various vehicles were attacked across different areas of the district, which led to a rising number of casualties, senior official Javedullah Khan reported.

The conflict erupted following a shooting that left two people critically wounded, although the specific cause of the clashes remains unclear.

As tensions escalated, various vehicles were attacked across different areas of the district, contributing to the rising number of casualties, as reported by senior official Javedullah Khan.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is home to over 40 million people from diverse tribal backgrounds. In response to the violence, local authorities have been working to secure travel routes and restore normalcy in the region. The injured were taken to a hospital.

Pir Haider Ali Shah, a former parliamentarian and member of a tribal council, stated that tribal elders had arrived in Kurram to mediate a peace agreement between the conflicting tribes.

"The recent firing incidents are regrettable and have hampered efforts for lasting peace," said the former parliamentarian.

Tribal gatherings, known as 'Jirgas', are commonly held in the region to promote stability and resolve disputes.

This incident follows a previous outbreak of violence last month, where clashes between armed Shia and Sunni Muslims resulted in the killings of at least 25 people over a land dispute.

Although these communities generally coexist peacefully in Pakistan, historical tensions have existed for decades between them in certain areas, particularly in Kurram, where Shia Muslims are predominant, stated ANI.

In a separate incident on the same day, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for an attack on a coal mine in Balochistan that killed over 20 individuals, including both Pakistani and Afghan nationals. This attack involved heavy weaponry such as rocket launchers and grenades.

The BLA has also accused the Pakistani government of failing to improve the living conditions of local citizens while allowing foreign nationals to derive profit from resource extraction. Thus, attacks on foreign convoys have become a key for citizens to register protests, stated ANI.

The BLA reported higher casualties from this incident, claiming 30 dead and 18 injured, and threatened further attacks unless military forces withdrew from the province.

The group has been involved in various armed movements in Balochistan and is designated as a "terrorist group" by Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Chinese embassy in Pakistan reported that at least two of its nationals were killed and a third was injured when their convoy was attacked with an improvised explosive device, which is thought to have been detonated by a suicide bomber, ANI stated.

Local media indicated that a total of at least 10 individuals were injured, with four vehicles destroyed in the blast and damage to 10 additional cars due to the resulting fire.