Two days after deadly anti-Shiite attacks, at least 32 people were killed in new sectarian violence on Saturday in the northwest of Pakistan, a predominantly Sunni country.
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For months, tension has been rising between Sunnis and Shiites in the district of Kourram, in the northwest of the Pakistan. But since Thursday, November 21, the situation has changed.
It all started that day, when around ten armed men opened fire on two convoys carrying Shiite families, although escorted by the police. Toll: at least 43 dead. The response did not take long: the Shiites attacked a market, burned shops and houses. At least 32 people were killed.
According to local authorities, around 300 families began to flee the violence this Saturday. The police are deployed, but they are seriously lacking in manpower to calm the situation.
This conflict is not just a matter of religion. Tribalism, land disputes, everything gets mixed up. But for the Shiite minority, this climate of violence has lasted far too long. They say they are victims of discrimination and recurring attacks, particularly in this region of Kourram.
NGOs point to the responsibility of the State: the federal government and local authorities, according to them, have failed to protect civilians and limit the circulation of weapons in the region.
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