47 killed in fight between tribesmen in Pak's northwest

At least 47 people have been killed and 25 others injured in gunfights between two rival tribes over a long-drawn land dispute in Pakistan's restive northwest tribal region near its border with Afghanistan.
The dispute relates to a mountain, which has been a bone of contention between Mada Khel and Pepali Kabul Khel tribes for the past three years in the North Waziristan Agency. Several jirgas have been held to settle the issue but have failed.
The latest fighting broke out on Friday and the tribesmen were used heavy and light weapons against each other in Datta Khel tehsil, Express News reported.

The gun battle had already left 47 people killed and 25 others wounded by yesterday.
The situation has become more serious with most of the tribal elders who can broker a ceasefire having migrated to elsewhere in Pakistan or Afghanistan because of the volatile security situation in North Waziristan.
The area where the fighting has taken place is located near the Pak-Afghan border. Some families from the area had recently migrated to Afghanistan due to the long-running dispute between the two tribes.

The tribesmen were making arrangements to take their injured to Afghanistan, as the local political administration was not allowing them to take the casualties to Peshawar.

Tribes in these areas often fight bloody battles to assert their control over land.
Pakistan's army launched an operation in June last year to clear the region of Taliban militants and has since claimed significant success in the operation named Zarb-e-Azb.