37 dead in sectarian fighting in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Sept 27 (Arab News): The death toll from ongoing sectarian clashes in northwest Pakistan has risen to at least 37, with more than 150 injured in fighting that has raged for a sixth straight day, a local official told AFP on Friday.

The Kurram district, formerly a semi-autonomous area, has a history of bloody confrontations between tribes belonging to the Sunni and Shiite sects of Islam that have claimed hundreds of lives over the years.

July clashes over land involving the same tribes killed 35 people and ended only after a jirga (tribal council) called a ceasefire, with officials attempting to broker a new truce.

Fighting involving heavy weaponry has continued in 10 areas of the district despite efforts by security forces and locals to reach an agreement, an official posted in Kurram said.