PAKISTAN: 82 killed in 3 days of sectarian violence

Three days of bitter sectarian gunfights in northwestern Pakistan have killed at least 82 people and wounded 156 more, a local official said Sunday.

Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country but Kurram district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province – near the border with Afghanistan – has a large Shiite population and the communities have clashed for decades.

The latest bout of violence began on Thursday when two separate convoys of Shiite Muslims travelling under police escort were ambushed, killing at least 43 and sparking two days of gun battles.

“The clashes and convoy attacks on November 21, 22, and 23 have resulted in 82 fatalities and 156 injuries,” said a local administration official speaking on condition of anonymity.

“Among the deceased 16 were Sunni, while 66 belonged to the Shia community,” he told journalists.