Families start fleeing from area following fierce clashes between rival tribes
\n peshawar
\nAmid the ongoing violent clashes between the tribal groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa\u2019s Kurram district, 12 more people were killed over the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 30, police said on Saturday.
\nAt least 20 others sustained injuries during the fierce armed clashes between the rival tribes that took place in densely populated Bagan and Alizai areas of Lower Kurram.
\nThe fresh violence came two days after gunmen opened fire on two separate convoys travelling with police escort in Kurram, killing 45 people.
\nAt least 75 people have been killed over the past three days in the ongoing gun battles between different tribes, according to police.
\nFollowing the fresh clashes, around 300 families left their homes and shifted to safe places, according to reports.
\n\u201cApproximately 300 families have relocated to Hangu and Peshawar since this morning in search of safety,\u201d a senior official told AFP, adding that more families were preparing to leave the violence-hit district.
\nIt is pertinent to mention here that tribal and family feuds are common in the area.
\nLast month, at least 16 people, including three women and two children, were killed in a clash in Kurram.
\nPrevious clashes in July and September killed dozens of people and ended only after a jirga, or tribal council, called a ceasefire. HRCP said 79 people died between July and October in clashes.
\nSeveral hundred people demonstrated against the violence on Friday in Lahore and Karachi.
\nIn Parachinar, the main town of Kurram district, thousands participated in a sit-in, while hundreds attended the funerals of the victims of Thursday\u2019s attack.
\nThe latest violence drew condemnation from officials and human rights groups.
\nThe independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) urged authorities this month to pay \u201curgent attention\u201d to the \u201calarming frequency of clashes\u201d in the region, warning that the situation has escalated to \u201cthe proportions of a humanitarian crisis.\u201d
\n\u2018All available options will be utilised for peace\u2019: CM Gandapur
\nKP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has vowed to utilise all available options to restore peace in valance-hit Kurram district.
\nHe made the remarks while chairing a meeting to discuss the situation in Kurram via a video link. The chief minister said that the incident of armed attack on vehicles was \u201cextremely regrettable and condemnable\u201d. The CM shared the grief of the bereaved families.
\nDuring the meeting, the government\u2019s delegation \u2014 who visited the tribal elders in the day \u2014 presented its initial report to the CM.
\n\u201cThe legitimate demands of the parties must be fulfilled,\u201d the chief minister said, adding that ceasefire was inevitable for heading towards a solution to the conflict.
\nHe urged the tribal elders to cooperate with the government\u2019s delegation and the local administration. The CM said that he himself was monitoring the situation in the area. The government was making efforts to resolve the conflict.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Families start fleeing from area following fierce clashes between rival tribes peshawar Amid the ongoing violent clashes between the tribal groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa\u2019s Kurram district, 12 more people were killed over the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 30, police said on Saturday. At least 20 others sustained injuries during the fierce […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":445464,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-445456","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n