8 persons dead in Pak clashes

The rival tribesmen are targeting each other's positions with heavy weaponry, including rockets and mortars.

Fresh clashes between rival groups in Pakistan's restive Kurram Agency on Saturday left eight persons dead and 10 others injured, taking the death toll in eight days of violence to 35.

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Five tribesmen were killed and several injured in a firing incident at Marro Khel involving Shia and Sunni tribes.

Three persons were shot dead by rival groups in separate incidents in different parts of the agency bordering Afghanistan.

Of the 10 people who were injured, three were stated to be in a critical condition. Armed clashes over the past eight days have claimed 35 lives and injured 80.

The rival tribesmen are targeting each other's positions with heavy weaponry, including rockets and mortars. The political administration of Kurram Agency has engaged the tribal elders to arrange a ceasefire and restore normalcy.

The area has been without electricity for the last one month while telephone services were suspended yesterday after some persons attacked a telephone exchange in Sadda.

The main road linking Parachinar, the headquarters of the agency, has been closed to all kinds of vehicular traffic for the past month. This has resulted in an acute shortage of medicines and fuel in the area.

Fierce clashes between Shia and Sunni tribesmen in the Kurram Agency since last year have claimed hundreds of lives.