( dpa ) - At least 23 people were killed and dozens more injured in overnight clashes between the rival Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province, officials said on Friday.
"Eight people were killed on Friday and 15 died on Thursday night in the firefight between Sunni dominated Orakzai and Shiite Kachai tribes in Kohat district," said the area chief civilian officer Kamran Zeb.
"The death toll might increase as we are receiving reports from three villages where the fighting is going on that many dead bodies are lying in the streets," he added.
The fighting started five days earlier when the armed men from the two tribes exchanged fire during a tribal jirga meeting. Since then the sides have used heavy weapons in the conflict that has so far claimed more than 50 lives.
The district of Kohat and its neighbouring Kurram agency has seen intensified sectarian violence in the region, where hundreds people have died due to the violence between the rivals groups over the last one year.