BAJAUR: An armed clash between two tribes in the hilly Barang region of the Bajaur tribal district created fear among the residents as both the groups used heavy weapons to pound each others’ positions.

Local people told Dawn on Saturday that the clash between the Toor Khel and Sheer Khel tribes erupted on Friday morning over a land dispute.

They said that members of both the rival tribes used heavy weapons, creating fear among the people of the region, located some 40 kilometres from Khar, the district headquarters of Bajaur.

They said that although no casualty had so far been reported in the clash, they expressed fear that if the firing was not stopped it could lead to casualties on both sides.

The residents expressed concern over the police’s failure to intervene and stop the clash. They said the region where the clash had erupted had two police posts, but the police personnel had yet to take steps to stop the clash.

The local residents said that the armed clash had occurred despite the fact that the tribal districts had been merged with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Meanwhile, when contacted a police official told Dawn that efforts were underway to enforce ceasefire between the warring tribes.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2021