9 killed, 5 injured in shootout in Pakistan's Sindh

ISLAMABAD - At least nine people were killed and five others seriously injured in a shootout between two rival groups on Saturday night in Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local media reported.

According to the reports late Saturday night, the exchange of intensive firing took place between the Jagirani tribe and Chachar tribe over an old enmity in the Kandhkot area of Sindh for hours.

Police personnel told media that armed men of both sides were firing at each other while hiding in bunkers when security personnel reached the site.

Police and rescue teams have shifted the bodies and the injured to a hospital and filed two separate cases against each of the armed groups. Police have started operations and raids to arrest the culprits and confiscate weapons from them.

Automatic guns, hand grenades and rockets were used in the clash, local reports said.

A heavy contingent of police has been deployed in the area to defuse the tension after intensive firing for hours spread panic among locals.