Hundreds of Pakistani families flee sectarian violence

Hundreds of Pakistani families flee sectarian violence

KABUL – Hundreds of Pakistani families have poured across the border into Afghanistan in recent days as they flee sectarian violence in north-western Pakistan, officials said yesterday.

Clashes last week between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Pakistan’s Kurram tribal area left at least 21 people dead, and authorities imposed a curfew in the troubled area. Afghan officials said about 900 families – most of them Sunnis – have fled across the border in the past two weeks to the provinces of Khost and Paktia.The majority of those fleeing are women and children, and most are staying in the homes of friends and acquaintances.”The situation is under control.There is no serious threat,” said Khost Gov.Arsallah Jamal, who noted about 400 to 500 Pakistani families had fled to the province.”In the past 30 years, we have seen these conflicts between Shia and Sunni in Kurram.”Abdul Rahman Mangal, the deputy governor in neighboring Paktia province, said about 480 families had come to border districts there, including about 20 to 30 Afghan families who were living in Pakistan.The officials said blankets, charcoal, wood and food had been delivered to assist.Kurram, a semi-autonomous region near Afghanistan, is prone to sectarian violence.In April, fighting sparked by an attack on a Shiite mosque left about 50 people dead.In November, three days of clashes left 91 dead before the warring sides declared a cease-fire.It was not immediately clear why the cease-fire broke down this week.A curfew remained in place yesterday in Parachinar, the main town of Kurram, a Pakistani security official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.Sporadic gunbattles continued between the two factions in Parachinar, Pakistan’s military-run Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate said in a statement.No casualties were reported and the statement said tribal elders were trying to negotiate peace.While most members of Shiite and Sunni sects live peacefully with each other in Pakistan, extremists on both sides often target each other’s leaders and activists.The Sunni-Shiite schism over the true heir to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad dates back to the seventh century.Nampa-APAfghan officials said about 900 families – most of them Sunnis – have fled across the border in the past two weeks to the provinces of Khost and Paktia.The majority of those fleeing are women and children, and most are staying in the homes of friends and acquaintances.”The situation is under control.There is no serious threat,” said Khost Gov.Arsallah Jamal, who noted about 400 to 500 Pakistani families had fled to the province.”In the past 30 years, we have seen these conflicts between Shia and Sunni in Kurram.”Abdul Rahman Mangal, the deputy governor in neighboring Paktia province, said about 480 families had come to border districts there, including about 20 to 30 Afghan families who were living in Pakistan.The officials said blankets, charcoal, wood and food had been delivered to assist.Kurram, a semi-autonomous region near Afghanistan, is prone to sectarian violence.In April, fighting sparked by an attack on a Shiite mosque left about 50 people dead.In November, three days of clashes left 91 dead before the warring sides declared a cease-fire.It was not immediately clear why the cease-fire broke down this week.A curfew remained in place yesterday in Parachinar, the main town of Kurram, a Pakistani security official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.Sporadic gunbattles continued between the two factions in Parachinar, Pakistan’s military-run Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate said in a statement.No casualties were reported and the statement said tribal elders were trying to negotiate peace.While most members of Shiite and Sunni sects live peacefully with each other in Pakistan, extremists on both sides often target each other’s leaders and activists.The Sunni-Shiite schism over the true heir to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad dates back to the seventh century.Nampa-AP

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