By KUNA,
Islamabad : More than thirty people were killed in religious fighting that erupted Tuesday in a Pakistani tribal agency, said sources Wednesday.
Fierce Fighting erupted between Sunni and Shiite militant groups, Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) and Insar-al-Islam (II), in Tera valley of Khyber tribal agency, Frontier Corps (FC) sources told KUNA.
They said the fighting was still continuing with both groups using heavy weapons against each other.
They added that the fighting killed more than 30 persons and feared further rise in the death toll as several wounded were said to be in critical condition.
It was mentioned here that FC is conducting an operation against the same militant groups in the main Bara district of the agency since Saturday.
The operation was expected to last for five days, but FC sources said that it will continue for another week.
Forces have destroyed several militants’ hideouts, offices and training centers in the operation.
The operation coincides with the visit of US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher.
The US envoy, which is on a three-day visit, was holding extensive talks on security and political related issues with the leadership and government officials.
Conflict between the two local extremist militants groups broke out in 2006 over speeches aired by their respective leaders over a local radio station.
The agency’s Political Administration said that a large Jirga has been formed to resolve differences between the two groups and restore law and order situation in the agency, bordering Afghanistan.