At least 38 killed as gunmen open fire on vehicles carrying Shiites in northwest Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Gunmen opened fire on vehicles carrying Shiite Muslims in Pakistan's restive northwest on Thursday, killing at least 38 people, including six women, and wounding 20 others in one of the region's deadliest such attacks in recent years, police said.

The attack happened in Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where sectarian clashes between majority Sunni Muslims and minority Shiites have killed dozens of people in recent months.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the latest attack. It came a week after authorities reopened a key highway in the region that had been closed for weeks following deadly clashes.

Local police official Azmat Ali said several vehicles were traveling in a convoy from the city of Parachinar to Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, when gunmen opened fire. He said at least 10 passengers were in critical condition at a hospital.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said at least 38 people were killed in the “terrorist attack." Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, and Sharif said those behind the killing of innocent civilians will not go unpunished.

A witness, 35-year-old Mir Hussain, said he saw four gunmen emerge from a vehicle and open fire on buses and cars.

“I think other people were also firing at the convoy of vehicles from nearby open farm field,” he said. “The firing continued for about 40 minutes.” He said he hid until the attackers fled.

“I heard cries of women, and people were shouting for the help,” he said.

Ibne Ali Bangash, a relative of one of the victims, described the convoy attack as the saddest day in Kurram's history.

“More than 40 people from our community have been martyred,” he said. “It’s a shameful matter for the government."

Baqir Haideri, a local Shiite leader, denounced the assault and said the death toll was likely to rise. He accused local authorities of not providing adequate security for the convoy of more than 100 vehicles despite fears of possible attacks by militants who had recently threatened to target Shiites in Kurram.

Shop owners in Parachinar announced a strike on Friday to protest the attack.

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

Although they live together largely peacefully, tensions have existed for decades in some areas, especially in parts of Kurram, where Shiites are the majority. Nearly 50 people from both sides were killed over a land dispute in July when clashes between Sunni and Shiites erupted in Kurram.

Initially, the clashes between between Sunni Muslims and Shiites began over a dispute on land in July, but then the lingering dispute turned into a sectarian violence, resulting into killing of dozens of people from both sides.

Pakistan is tackling violence in the northwest and southwest, where militants and separatists often target police, troops and civilians. Most of the violence in these areas has been blamed on the Pakistani Taliban, a separate militant group but closely allied with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, and the separatists in southwestern Balochestan province who are mainly members of the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army.

Associated Press writers Asim Tanveer, Rasool Dawar and Ishtiaq Mahsud in Multan, Peshawar, and Dera Ismail Khan in Pakistan contributed to this report.

An injured victim of gunmen firing incident on passenger vehicles, is treated at a hospital in Parachinar, in Kurram district of Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Dilawar Hussain)

Local residents and volunteers gather and wait for the arrival of victims of gunmen firing incident on passenger vehicles, at a hospital in Parachinar, in Kurram district of Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Dilawar Hussain)

An injured victim, right, of gunmen firing incident on a passenger vehicle, is treated at a hospital in Parachinar, in Kurram district of Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Dilawar Hussain)

PARIS (AP) — One thing is certain for Fabien Galthie’s France this autumn. Nothing is certain.

Since the start of the autumn tests, the coach has not hesitated to leave out established stars, and so far this has worked well. France takes on Argentina in their final test of the year on Friday at Stade de France on the back of victories against Japan and New Zealand.

Stalwart players have been sacrificed this month one after another for the good of the team. Gael Fickou was benched against Japan and Matthieu Jalibert was benched against the All Blacks, then refused to accept it and left the squad. It's Gregory Alldritt's turn to pay the price of Galthie's rotation policy.

The No. 8 was not even in the matchday 23 facing the Pumas after Galthie made four changes.

Galthie reasoned he's trying to create depth and more experience ahead of the Six Nations and more in mind of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

“There is no polemics,” he said.

The players left out, at least Fickou, did not seem to take it personally.

Fickou joked, “I was a bit cold on the bench. That’s what group life is all about. You can’t play every game. There are also some great players in my position who are growing and who have talent. It’s up to me to be good enough to stay here.”

In any case, competition for places is paying dividends. A year after its brokenhearted exit in the quarterfinals of its home Rugby World Cup at the hands of South Africa and following a summer tour of South America marred by off-field controversies, France is back in form.

Beating New Zealand 30-29 last weekend, with talismanic captain Antoine Dupont aboard in his second test of the year, was a statement that France is a serious threat again.

France and the Pumas split a series in Argentina in July, the Pumas winning the last match 33-25. But the Pumas have not beaten Les Tricolores in France for 10 years.

Unlike Galthie, Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi is bidding on continuity since taking charge. His Pumas have thrashed Italy 57-17 and lost to Ireland 22-19. Contepomi has made just one change to his starters, with Gonzalo Garcia at scrumhalf for fresh legs on Friday night.

They have also been bolstered in the reserves by the return for the first time this month of flanker Marcos Kremer from a knee injury and wing Mateo Carreras, who became a father. They started both tests against France in July.

Kremer and Carreras also are among 10 Pumas who play for clubs in France.

“We have to look at our shirt and from there put it where it deserves, regardless of the opponent,” Carreras said. "The extra spice of it being France gives us that desire to go out and win. The connection in defense is going to be key. We have to keep the ball a lot and maintain discipline.”

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Argentina's Guido Petti, top, jumps for the ball during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between Ireland and Argentina, at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Argentina's Juan Cruz Mallia, right, breaks away from Ireland's James Lowe, to score a try during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between Ireland and Argentina, at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

New Zealand's Patrick Tuipulotu, right, and France's Thibaud Flament compete for line out ball during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between France and All Blacks at the Stade de France stadium, in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

French players celebrate following the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between France and All Blacks at the Stade de France stadium, in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)