Sectarian clashes claim nearly 80 lives in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD — 

Officials successful northwestern Pakistan reported connected Saturday that a authorities delegation has begun efforts to negociate a ceasefire betwixt rival Sunni and Shiite Muslim tribes pursuing equipped clashes that resulted successful astir 80 deaths this week.

The sectarian struggle successful Kurram district, which borders Afghanistan, flared up Thursday erstwhile heavy equipped men from the Sunni people ambushed aggregate rider vehicles and killed astatine slightest 45 Shi'ites, including men, women, and children.

On Friday, Shi'ite assemblage members conducted revenge attacks against the Sunni-dominated colony wherever the ambush had taken place, sidesplitting astatine slightest 33 radical and wounding dozens of others. The attackers acceptable petrol stations connected occurrence and damaged markets arsenic good arsenic homes.

A spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, wherever Kurram is located, announced Saturday that a high-powered authorities delegation had flown into the turbulent territory center, Parachinar, and met with Shi'ite assemblage leaders there.

Muhammad Ali Saif said successful a late-night video connection that the meetings were "positive" and efforts were being made to "resolve each disputes amicably to extremity the tension." He added that the delegation plans to speech with Sunni assemblage leaders successful the adjacent stage.

"Our apical precedence is to broker a cease-fire and found a lasting bid successful the district," said Saif, besides portion of the authorities delegation.

The Pakistani borderline territory is known for deadly Shi'ite-Sunni sectarian violence, which stems from long-running onshore disputes.

A onshore quality sparked weeks of clashes successful Kurram earlier this year, sidesplitting much than 100 radical betwixt August and October this year. The warring had compelled provincial authorities to halt each postulation to and from the territory until earlier this period erstwhile tribal elders brokered a impermanent cease-fire betwixt the opposing factions.

Violence stops traffic

This week's clashes person erstwhile again halted postulation connected the sole roadworthy connecting the territory — which has a colonisation of astir 800,000 — to the provincial superior of Peshawar.

The unit successful Kurram comes amid a marked summation successful militant attacks against Pakistani information forces successful aggregate districts adjacent oregon on the Afghan border.

Officials accidental the unit this period successful Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan, has resulted successful the deaths of dozens of information personnel, including troops.