Clashes in Pakistan leave five dead
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Militants attacked tribesmen in troubled northwestern Pakistan leaving five dead and 20 wounded in the ensuing clashes, an official said Thursday. Syed Alam Khan, a government administrator, said the fighting began late Wednesday in the Kurram tribal region. The two sides continued to exchange fire Thursday while authorities sought help from local elders to impose a cease-fire, he said. The Kurram tribal region is near Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier province, which borders Afghanistan. Militants from one group in the area, Lashkar-e-Islam, have launched an unofficial anti-vice campaign to enforce Taliban-style Islam. The group is headed by Mangal Khan, who is being sought by the Pakistani government, which - under pressure from the United States - has been fighting pro-Taliban and pro-Al Qaida militants in the border regions. Kurram also has been the scene of violent sectarian clashes between majority Sunni and minority Shiite Muslims. (AP) |
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