Photo by AFP used for illustrative purposes
Three days of intense sectarian gunfights in northwestern Pakistan have resulted in the deaths of at least 82 individuals and left 156 others injured, according to a local official who spoke on Sunday.
"Among the deceased, 16 were Sunni, while 66 belonged to the Shia community," stated a local administration official in Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, who requested anonymity. Pakistan predominantly consists of Sunni Muslims, but Kurram district, located near the border with Afghanistan, has a significant Shiite population. The two communities have been in conflict for decades.
The recent wave of violence commenced on Thursday when two separate convoys of Shiite Muslims, traveling under police protection, were attacked. This incident led to the deaths of at least 43 people and ignited two days of fierce gun battles.
"Our primary focus today is to mediate a ceasefire between both parties. Once that is accomplished, we can start addressing the root causes of the conflict," stated provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam Afridi on Sunday.
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