At least 38 killed in gun attack on Shiite Muslims in northwest Pakistan

At least 38 people, including six women, have been killed by gunmen who opened fire on passenger vehicles carrying Shiite Muslims in northwest Pakistan on Thursday.

Police said the attack, which happened in the district of Kurram in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, is one of the deadliest in the region in recent years.

Local police official Azmat Ali said several vehicles carrying passengers were travelling in a convoy from the city of Parachinar to Peshawar, the provincial capital, when gunmen opened fire.

At least 10 passengers were in a critical condition at a hospital, he added.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack and offered his condolences to the families of the victims, calling for authorities to take action against those who orchestrated the attack.

Baqir Haideri, a local Shiite leader, denounced the assault, saying “the terrorists martyred our innocent people after identifying them”.

Pattern of violence

No one has claimed responsibility for the incident, which is the latest in a string of clashes between majority Sunni Muslims and minority Shiites that have killed dozens in recent years.

Last week, authorities reopened a key highway in the region after closing it for weeks following deadly clashes.

Shiite Muslims make up about 15% of the 240 million-strong population of Sunni-majority Pakistan, which has a history of animosity between the two communities.

Tensions have existed for decades in predominantly Shiite areas of the country, such as Kurram.

Nearly 50 people from the two sides were killed over a land dispute in July when clashes between Sunni and Shiites erupted in the district.

Pakistan is also currently carrying out intelligence-based operations in a separate conflict in Balochistan province.

In November, Pakistan's prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, approved a "comprehensive military operation" against separatist groups, who often target police, troops and civilians.

Most violence in these areas has been blamed on the Pakistani Taliban and the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army.

Earlier this month, an outlawed group killed 26 people in a suicide bombing at a train station, according to local officials.