Clashes in the Kurram tribal district have escalated, resulting in 14 more deaths, bringing the total death toll from 10 days of violence to 122, with 168 people injured. The ongoing violence, particularly in Lower and Upper Kurram, has seen heavy exchanges of gunfire and the use of heavy weaponry between rival groups, affecting several villages, including Talokanj, Jalam, Tari Mangal, Pewar, and Maqbal.
The recent clashes have involved the death of a key commander and his ten associates, as well as casualties on the opposing side. Despite efforts to establish peace through negotiations, violence persists, leaving communities in turmoil. The region has been severely impacted, with the closure of the Peshawar-Parachinar highway, leading to shortages of essential supplies like food, fuel, and medicine. The situation has also disrupted education and communications, with internet and mobile services down, and educational institutions closed.
Also Read: Kurram Clashes Continue, Death Toll Rises to 88
Earlier, a deadly attack on November 21 in the Mandori Uchit area, targeting a convoy of passenger vehicles from Parachinar, left 52 people dead, which further fueled ongoing clashes in areas like Sadda, Balishkhel, and Kharkali. The unrest has also led to the suspension of trade and travel at the Kharlachi border with Afghanistan.
Local leaders, including MPA Ali Hadi Irfani and former MNA Malik Fakhr Zaman, have raised concerns over the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Kurram and have called for immediate government action to restore peace and secure vital transportation routes.
Negotiations are underway, led by Kurram District Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud, with elders from both sides to enforce a ceasefire. Security forces have signaled their commitment to peace by raising white flags, and efforts for conflict resolution have been supported by a grand jirga organized in Orakzai under the supervision of Orakzai Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Irfanuddin, with representatives from both Sunni and Shia communities participating. The jirga, guided by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, aims to mediate and restore peace in the troubled region.
