At least 14 villagers were killed, four paramilitary soldiers shot dead and 390 homes torched by rival tribesmen in violence in north-east India, officials said Monday.
Deaths were reported in Assam's eastern Karbi Anglong district, 290 kilometres (180 miles) from Assam's main city of Guwahati, after some 80 armed Karbi tribesmen launched a retaliatory attack on the minority Dimasas.
"Five Dimasa tribal villagers, including two women, were killed when the mob armed with sophisticated weapons opened random fire after asking the people to come out of their homes," Karbi Anglong official D.D. Tripathi told AFP.
The killing of the Dimasa tribals came after rebels of the outlawed Dima Halom Daoga slit the throats of nine members of the majority Karbi tribe late Sunday, police said.
The Karbis and the Dimasas have been engaged in a bitter turf war for many years.
Indian army soldiers were called out Monday to quell the week-long violence that had claimed 31 lives in clashes between the two rival ethnic groups so far.