PESHAWAR:
The deputy commissioner of Kurram has announced an operation in four troubled areas following an attack on a convoy transporting goods to Parachinar. The attack resulted in several abductions and the execution-style killing of some victims.
Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmed issued a notification on Saturday to establish temporary displacement camps in Thal and Hangu for residents affected by the operation. The operation will target the Lower Kurram areas of Bagan, Mandori, Chapri Parau, and Chapri.
A request has been sent to the provincial relief department for the setup of temporarily displaced persons (TDP) camps. These camps, located at Thal Degree College, Technical College, Rescue 1122, and the court building, will accommodate 1,079 families, totaling 17,625 individuals, and ensure their safety during the operation. A committee, led by the additional deputy commissioner, has been formed to oversee arrangements.
Background of the Conflict
Kurram has been plagued by decades-long sectarian clashes, escalating into land disputes, which have claimed over 140 lives since November 2024. Despite a peace agreement on January 1 brokered by a tribal jirga—where residents pledged to disarm and dismantle local bunkers—the situation remains fragile.
On January 4, a convoy carrying former Kurram deputy commissioner Javedullah Mehsud was attacked near Bagan, injuring him and six security personnel. On January 13, the government dismantled two bunkers, yet peace was short-lived.
Convoy Attack and Casualties
On Thursday, unidentified gunmen launched a rocket attack on a 35-vehicle convoy carrying essential goods to Bagan, escorted by police and security forces. The attack resulted in one security personnel being martyred and four others injured. In retaliation, six terrorists were killed, and 10 were wounded. Six vehicles were torched, forcing 21 trucks to retreat while others remained stranded.
Footage of locals looting relief trucks surfaced on social media, with reports of abductions. Later, the bodies of six abductees, including five Parachinar drivers and Saqib Hussain, were found in the Aravali area. Saqib, who had recently returned to Pakistan after a decade in Dubai, tragically lost his life after choosing to travel home amid road closures and delays.
Kurram continues to suffer from severe shortages of food, medicines, and other essentials due to the ongoing clashes and the closure of key roads to Parachinar.
Despite the turmoil, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently claimed that the situation was “returning to normal” after a second convoy of 25 vehicles carrying supplies successfully reached the district.
