Sources said that the injured also included a woman who suffered serious injuries when her house was hit by a mortar shell. Fighting between Amar Bil Maroof-wa-Nahi Anil Munkir (Haji Namdar group) and Sheikhmal Khel (Takia group) started on Tuesday and continued late Wednesday.

Witnesses told Dawn that both groups used heavy weaponry against each others, forcing a number of families to flee to safer places.

It was also learnt that rival groups demolished and torched at least seven houses of each other.

Both groups also claimed taking hostage of supporters of opponent groups and capturing houses of the opponents. The Sheikhmal Khel group also claimed that they have ousted Haji Namdar, leader of Amar Bil-Maroof-wa-Nahi Anil Munkir, from his base in Pakka Tarra. Haji Namdar has reportedly shifted to the Karawal area.

Haji Namdar supporters claimed that they had taken control of the fort-like house of Sheikhmal Khel elder Haji Zareef. Haji Zareef, along with four of his accomplices, was killed near Bara a year ago when his vehicle was ambushed by his opponents.

It is learnt that two other major rival religious groups of Bara, Ansaarul Islam and Lashkar-i-Islam have sent dozens of their armed activists in support of Sheikhmal Khel and Haji Namdar group, respectively. A jirga comprising elders of all major tribes of Bara has started its efforts to broker a ceasefire between the rival groups. The paramilitary forces have also moved in to the area and have reportedly taken up positions near the scene of the fighting.