Eight members of a family were killed when unknown attackers opened fire on them at a mosque in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province.
The shooting happened on Saturday night in the city of Jalalabad. According to Nangarhar Governor Ziaulhaq Amarkhil, the killings happened apparently over a land dispute.
Five brothers and three of their male cousins were killed.
“The shooting happened at the time of the tarawih [extra prayers in the evening during Ramadan]. This was a targeted attack and initial information shows a land dispute was the reason,” Amarkhil told Al Jazeera.
Clashes over land disputes are common across Afghanistan. The so-called blood feuds can last for decades, passing down through generations in a cycle of violence.
Last April, at least six tribal members were killed and nearly 20 others wounded in armed clashes over disputed land in the same province. The fighting lasted for several days.
Nangarhar, a stronghold of the Taliban and the ISIL (ISIS) group, is rich in plains and is one of the most important areas for agriculture in Afghanistan.
