Iraq tribal clashes kill eight

KUT,

Tribal clashes over agricultural land in central Iraq have left eight people dead and nine others injured, a security official in Wasit province told AFP on Saturday.

The dispute broke out early in the morning in the village of Kheshan between members of a Bedouin tribe, the official said, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to brief the media.

"Eight people were killed and another nine injured," the official added, noting that all those affected were involved in the fighting.

Security forces have surrounded the area, although skirmishes have not yet ceased.

Tribal feuds are common in Iraq, a war-scarred country awash with weapons, where even minor disputes can escalate into deadly clashes.

Tribes wield significant influence, often operate under their own moral and judicial codes, and possess large caches of arms.

Iraq has only recently begun to regain a measure of stability after decades of violence following the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted long-time ruler Saddam Hussein.