TDP camp to be set up in Hangu

The operation against miscreants in the Bagan area of Lower Kurram continued on Monday as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (K-P) Counter Terrorism Department (CDT) registered a case against unknown people who last week attacked an aid convoy and abducted and killed a number of people.

Local population started to relocate to safer places as authorities on Sunday imposed a curfew in the Bagan area and launched a search operation, days after the attack on the convoy.

Kurram has long been hit by decades-old sectarian clashes, which have escalated into land disputes and claimed the lives of at least 140 people since November 2024. However, on January 1 the warring tribesmen signed a deal under the auspices of a tribal jirga.

Under the peace agreement, local residents pledged to surrender their weapons to the state in different phases within 15 days while the dismantling of local bunkers is to be completed by February 2025.

However, on January 4, a convoy of former Kurram deputy commissioner Javedullah Mehsud came under attack near the Bagan area, resulting in injuries to the official and six members of his escort.

On January 13, the provincial government dismantled two bunkers out of hundreds established by the two warring factions but on January 16 unidentified gunmen launched a rocket attack on a convoy of 35 vehicles carrying fruits, vegetables, medicines, and other essential items from Thall to the Bagan area.

The miscreant also abducted a number of people who were part of the convoy and a day later dead bodies of six of them were discovered in the Aravali area of Kurram with hands and feet bound.

The authorities started an operation against miscreants on Sunday after a high-level meeting in Peshawar. Operations against miscreants continued for the second consecutive day.

Security forces and police units remain deployed in the affected regions, where a curfew is currently in effect during the ongoing actions. According to the district administration, 20 families have so far been displaced from the affected areas of Lower Kurram. Some families have sought refuge with relatives, while others have relocated to Hangu.

Meanwhile, it has also been decided to establish a camp in Hangu for the people displaced by the operation. According to Hangu Deputy Commissioner Gohar Zaman, a tent settlement will be set up on hundreds of acres of land in the Muhammad Khawaja area to accommodate thousands of families.

Schools, mosques, a basic health unit (BHU), and other facilities will be available near the camp.

The DC informed the media that the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) will provide 22 trucks carrying tents and other supplies.

"The district administration has already received 4 trucks of supplies, and work on setting up the camp will begin today. The state stands with peaceful elements and will ensure that oppressive forces are brought to justice," he added.

Also speaking on the occasion, Kohat Division Commissioner Muatasim Billah stated that a targeted operation is underway in Kurram. Unfortunately, terrorists have infiltrated peaceful tribal areas.

During a press conference at the DPO office in Hangu, Muatasim and RPO Kohat Region Abbas Majeed Marwat said the peace agreement reached by the parties in Kohat concerning Kurram was one of the most effective and contextually relevant developments in the history of Kurram. "Under this agreement, all parties committed to defining their roles for sustainable peace.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered at the CTD Kurram Base police station against unidentified suspects for the attack on a convoy carrying essential goods to Parachinar. The case includes charges under anti-terrorism laws and multiple other sections.