Seven killed as feuding Turkish families clash

ISTANBUL, Oct 30 (Reuters) Seven people died in a shootout between two families entangled in a decade-long feud over pasture land in western Turkey, state-run Anatolian news agency reported today.

Five people died at the scene of the fight in the western Anatolian town of Afyonkarahisar and another two died after being taken to hospital.

The feud began 10 years ago when Ibrahim Ulukus, a man from one of the families and an agricultural official, imposed a fine on a member of the other family, Adem Sarikaya, for grazing animals illegally, Anatolian said.

Sarikaya then killed a male member of Ulukus' family and got jailed, but was released three years ago in an amnesty.

In the latest clash, Sarikaya, his wife, daughter, brother and cousin all died at the scene. Ulukus and his son died in hospital.

REUTERS SP RK1914