Overnight firing between rival tribes left 10 dead and 21 others wounded, say police
Shamim Shahid
Kurram: The death toll from the recent violence that has plagued the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district rose to 99 on Tuesday after the government-brokered seven-day truce was broken.
The police, in a statement, said that overnight firing between rival tribes left 10 dead and 21 others wounded, taking the toll to 99 deaths, as violence escalated.
An uptick in violence began last Thursday when two separate convoys travelling under police escort were ambushed, sparking two days of gun battles.
At least 82 people were killed and 156 more wounded before the provincial government delegation — led by Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif — brokered the ceasefire on Sunday night.
But late Monday Kurram deputy commissioner Javedullah Mehsud told media “reports of tribal clashes and gunfire continue to emerge from several areas”.
A security official stationed in Kurram who asked not to be named confirmed “clashes are ongoing” in at least three areas.
“There are significant disagreements over the exchange of prisoners and bodies,” he said. “According to my information, both communities are currently holding over 18 individuals hostage, including eight women.”
