At least 7 killed in eastern Afghanistan tribal clashes

At least 7 killed in eastern Afghanistan tribal clashes

2011-08-11 07:24:59 GMT+7 (ICT)

JALALABAD, AFGHANISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- At least seven people were killed during tribal clashes in the eastern region of Afghanistan, officials said Wednesday.

Clashes erupted after two tribes disputed over the ownership of territory in the Bati Kot district, located in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, spokesman to the Governor Ahmad Zia Abdulzoi told Wakht News Agency.

The disputes began a couple of days ago, but they intensified on Wednesday and violence caused the deaths of seven people while 11 others were wounded. According to reports, a member of one the tribes blamed police for attacking and killing five people, but local authorities have denied such claims.

Meanwhile, local tribe elders have formed a delegation, along with members of the provincial council and other government officials to try to resolve the issues and bring calm to the region. In addition, security forces have been deployed in order to disarm both sides and secure the area's stability.

On Tuesday, at least six people were killed and 18 others were injured after violent clashes broke during an apparent land dispute in in the Mirwais Mena neighborhood, located in the Afghan capital of Kabul. According to some locals, Mirwais Hassan and MP Qais Hassan seized some of the area's territories and tried to take over the land when the fighting broke out.

The violence and killings triggered Bagrami residents to block the Kabul-Gardez Highway and put bodies of the people killed during the clash on the road in front of the Presidential Palace as a protest to the violence. Demonstrators demanded the arrest of the killers, as they set tires on fire on the road near the Ministry of Finance and Fire Department.

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