At least four people were killed and nine others sustained serious injuries when rival groups exchanged gunfire over a land dispute in the Kas area of Landi Kotal on Saturday, according to police and local sources.
Details of the Clash
Sources said the dispute involved the Abid group and the Bejli Khan group in Neiki Khel village. The violence erupted after members of one group allegedly attempted to take possession of a disputed piece of land, triggering a heated confrontation. Following a verbal altercation, both sides opened fire on each other.
Two members from each group were killed in the exchange, while nine others suffered bullet injuries, hospital sources said. Police identified the deceased as Sifatullah and Jaidullah of the Abid group, and Qadeer and Nisar of the Bejli Khan group.
Police Response and Investigation
Police rushed to the scene soon after the incident and shifted the injured and the bodies of the deceased to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Landi Kotal for treatment and the completion of medico-legal formalities. Station House Officer (SHO) of Landi Kotal Police Station Ishrat Shinwari said additional police personnel had been deployed in the area to prevent any further violence.
He added that an investigation was under way to determine the circumstances that led to the deadly clash.
Medical Treatment and Aftermath
Hospital sources said two of the injured, who were in critical condition, were referred to a major hospital in Peshawar for specialised treatment. Following the completion of medico-legal formalities at the DHQ Hospital, the bodies were handed over to the victims’ families for burial, the sources added.
