QUETTA: Heavy gunfire resumed between two rival groups of Mengal tribe in Wadh on Thursday, halting traffic on the Quetta-Karachi national highway and disrupting normal life in the Khuzdar district area.

According to reports, the exchange of fire continued between armed men who had been positioned in the trenches for over one and a half months, resulting in at least three fatalities and around a dozen injuries.

Sources reported intensified firing on Thursday morning, with armed men using heavy weapons, rockets, and mortar shells against each other. While there are reports of one person killed in the gunfire, which continued till late evening, officials have not yet confirmed any casualties.

An official in Wadh confirmed on phone the heavy exchange of fire in Wadh town and surrounding areas.

“We are hearing explosions of rockets and mortar shells landing in different areas,” he said.

The Quetta-Karachi national highway was closed due to the exchange of fire, with armed men occupying trenches on both sides. Officials urged people and transports to avoid travel till further notice.

Security forces are attempting a ceasefire with the assistance of tribal elders.

Earlier in late July, a reconciliation jirga, led by Nawab Aslam Raisani, the chief of the Sarwan tribe, mediated a ceasefire between the warring factions, bringing an end to clashes that had kept the town tense.

However, within weeks, both groups broke the ceasefire they had agreed to as a result of efforts made by Mr Raisani and other tribal elders.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2023