August 20, 2008	Wednesday	Sha’aban 17, 1429

PARACHINAR, Aug 19: Fie-rce clashes between rival factions in Kurram Agency continued on Tuesday, leaving 23 people dead and 30 others wounded.

A jirga of Toori tribe, meanwhile, threatened to boycott negotiations if the political authorities failed to end the fighting by Wednesday morning.

A member of the jirga said the tribe’s elders had rejected a 72-hour extension in the deadline given to the rival groups and asked the authorities to take immediate action.

Last week, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik had declared that action would be taken against the warring groups if they did not lay down arms within 72 hours.

An 18-member jirga comprising elders of Hangu district and Orakzai Agency arrived in the troubled area on Tuesday and held talks with representatives of the factions. Both sides presented their points of view to the jirga.

Sources said heavy weapons were being used in clashes in different parts of the region.

They said residential areas were also being attacked and fierce clashes in Alizai, Enzari and Bagzai areas of Lower Kurram had caused large-scale displacement of people and destruction of property.