Ahmad 
Intense tribal clashes have killed 43 people and injured more than 170 others in Kurram Agency in northwestern Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as the conflict enters its sixth day.
The clashes were triggered by a dispute over ownership of a piece of land, which has spread to other nearby areas, blocking major roads and disrupting daily life.
The Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that all educational institutions and markets remained closed throughout the weekend, and traffic on major roads has come to a standstill. The newspaper quoted local residents as saying that the road closures have led to shortages of food and medicine in the area.
Pakistani media quoted local officials as saying that they have reached a ceasefire in some areas, but clashes are still ongoing in others.
Reports indicate that the warring parties are using heavy weapons and long-range missiles, which is increasing the suffering of ordinary people in those areas.
The Kurram tribal region, located along the border with Afghanistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has previously seen conflicts between tribes and religious groups and occasional armed attacks.
In 2007, a major conflict broke out in the region and lasted until 2011, when a “jirga”, a traditional assembly of tribal elders, succeeded in resolving the dispute after four years.
More than a thousand pilgrims died this year, most of them from Egypt