Sectarian clashes in Pakistan

Shias say they are being deliberately cut off in Kurram

At least 21 people have been killed in renewed sectarian clashes in the Kurram tribal region of Pakistan close to the Afghan border, officials say.

They say that rival tribes used heavy weapons, including artillery and mortar, in the fighting. Hundreds of people are said to have fled the area.

Almost 200 people have died in clashes which began nearly two weeks ago.

Shias are the majority in the region, but they are surrounded by Sunni tribesmen who have cut off road routes.

The Pakistani military says that it has been taking action in Kurram to prevent sectarian violence since Tuesday, when a deadline expired for militants to cease fighting.

The interior ministry said a group of tribal elders has been sent to the Kurram region to negotiate an end to the sectarian violence, but troops were ordered to act when both sides refused to stop.

Correspondents say that it is not clear when exactly the latest fatalities occurred, as military action launched overnight continued into Wednesday.

Cut off

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Karachi says that sectarian fighting has paralysed life in Kurram since November 2007 and hundreds of people have been killed.

Shias comprise about 15% of Pakistan's population of more than 160 million people.

Both sides have repeatedly been accused of using heavy weapons. Independent verification of the casualty figures is difficult due to the absence of communication links in the area.

The only road into the region has remained cut off since the fighting began, causing food and medicine shortages.

The north-west of Pakistan has suffered a wave of militant violence since July and hundreds of people have been killed including many security force members.