17 November 2004	Wednesday	04 Shawwal 1425

PESHAWAR, Nov 16: Two tribes observed a temporary cease-fire after a clash that left 13 persons dead and dozens injured in the Kurram Agency, officials said on Monday.

The Khwaidadkhel and Wazir tribes used heavy weapons in the clash over a property dispute in Plaseen area of the Lower Kurram, which started a day before Eidul Fitr, tribesmen told Dawn by telephone.

Thirteen persons were killed and about 14 injured during the two-day clashes which started on Friday morning and continued till Saturday evening, sources said.

But the two tribes desisted from firing at each other on the night before Eid after the intervention of the Lower Kurram political administration, they added.

The cease-fire will last till Nov 30 and during these two weeks, the political administration would try to patch up the long-standing property dispute through the holding of a jirga, tehsildar Hameed Khan said.

He said that the exact number of casualties could not be ascertained as Plaseen area was very remote. But he confirmed that more than 10 people from both sides were killed and over a dozen injured in the cross-fire.

The Khwaidadkhel tribe claimed that they killed at least 25 persons belonging to the Wazir tribe, adding that they suffered "only five casualties".

While, the Wazir tribe disputed the Khwaidadkhel tribe's claim and said that they killed eight people belonging to the other tribe and lost "five persons" of their own during the clash.

Sources said that both the sides were hiding their losses to claim victory in the old dispute, which had so far taken many lives.