Five Women Killed in Attacks by Leopards

Snow leopards have attacked and killed five women near a wildlife sanctuary in northern Pakistan, police said.

The killings have occurred about 40 miles north of the capital, Islamabad, local police official Ghulfam Hussain said. The body of the latest victim was found Friday near her village, Hussain said. Leopards have also reportedly killed four women from nearby villages.

“The ... villages are located near a forest that has been declared a leopard sanctuary, and killing the animals carries a huge fine,” Hussain said. Women commonly go to the forest to fetch wood and fodder for cattle, he said.