No peace in sight for Kurram

Death toll hits 34 as ceasefire efforts yielding few results

DI KHAN:

Six more people have been killed as sporadic clashes in Kurram tribal district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, increasing the death toll to 34 from six days of skirmishes. As many as 10 people were also injured in the gun battles that raged through the tribal district on Thursday.

According to Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud, the district administration, police, military and local tribal elders are putting their best foot forward to convince the warring factions that a ceasefire would be in everyone's best interest.

Police told The Express Tribune that despite hectic efforts on the part of authorities, armed clashes were continuing in the upper, lower and central tehsils.

Both sides are targeting each other with small and large weapons and a staggering 34 people have lost their lives, while 80 have been injured.

The Parachinar-Peshawar main road and Pak-Afghan Kharlachi border have been closed due to the conflict. As a result, traffic has been seriously disrupted along this route.

There are reports of a food, fuel and medicine shortage, caused by the sudden closure of the roads. All private and government schools in the urban and rural areas have also been closed for the past six days.

Due to the availability of military grade weapons and lack of government writ in the area, deadly clashes are common in the district without inviting any attention from the provincial or federal government.

Reports from Wednesday confirmed that the conflict resulted in fierce gun battles in the areas of Balishkhel, Kharkalay, Bagki, Gram Pada, Kunj Alizai, Muqbal, and Pewar Tari Mengal.

While elders from lower and upper Kurram have agreed to a ceasefire to stop the fighting, the conflict has not ceased, and the shootouts continue around the Balishkhel bunker despite the announcement. Peace negotiations through tribal councils (jirgas) have repeatedly failed. The clashes have severely disrupted daily life, and the local population is facing significant difficulties.

The visit of Kohat Commissioner Mutasim Billah and Kohat Regional DIG Sher Akbar Khan to Kurram district has also yielded no positive outcome. Moreover, missiles continue to be fired from unknown directions towards Parachinar city from the area of Pared and towards Sadda from Balishkhel. Last night, attacks continued in the Sangina area.

The deceased include Syed Qabil Hussain, Irfan Haider, Subedar Syed Shahzaib, Syed Rehman Ali, Intizar Hussain, Najeeb Hussain, Sadaf Ali, Hasnain Ali, Syed Ashiq Hussain, Riaz Hussain, Muhammad Hussain, Arman Hussain, Shabab Ali, Qaiser Hussain, Maqsood Ali, Hussain Abbas, Noor Afzal, Nadeem Hussain, Syed Nasir Hussain, Haider Abbas, Syed Shujaat, Muhammad Hussain, and Iqrar Hussain.

The injured include Shaukat Ali, Nake Nam Hussain, Lal Hussain, Suleiman, Hasnain, Syed Zeeshan, Muhammad Qasim, Riaz Hussain, Syed Maysam Hussain, Johar Hussain, Abrar Hussain, Jawad Hussain, Zameen Hussain, Bakht Ali, Mudassir Hussain, Masooma Bibi, Syed Mudassir Hussain, and Ameen Hussain. However, the names of other casualties and injured individuals have not yet been identified.

After a period relative calm, it was reported on Monday that at least ten people were killed and dozens wounded as fresh clashes between Shia and Sunni tribes reared their ugly head once again in Upper Kurram.

As per Monday's reports, clashes between the rival tribes continued for the third day in Kurram district. Both sides used heavy and automatic weapons against each other. In Monday's clashes, four more people had died, and ten were injured.

Over the first days of fighting, a total of ten people were killed, and 17 injured. According to police and hospital sources, disputes over land between the Boshai and Ahmadzai tribes in Upper Kurram fueled the initial clashes.