In a tragic incident on Thursday, at least 11 people, including a woman, were killed when gunmen opened fire on passenger vehicles in the Ochat area of Kurram district. The attack targeted a convoy traveling from Parachinar to Peshawar, leaving multiple people injured, including three women.
Kurram district has been plagued by months of tribal clashes and violent disputes, resulting in dozens of fatalities. These conflicts have caused frequent closures of main and link roads, as well as the border with Afghanistan, severely disrupting daily life for residents.
Community elders have warned of an impending humanitarian crisis due to the prolonged road blockades, which have led to acute shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, including petrol and diesel. Leaders from the Turi and Bangash tribes voiced grave concerns, highlighting that the lack of essential supplies has created significant hardships for the local population.
Adding to the challenges, the suspension of 3G and 4G internet services has disrupted education and businesses, causing further distress among students and citizens.
Violence in the region escalated last month with several attacks on passenger vehicles, prompting authorities to close the main Parachinar-Peshawar road and other routes for safety. This followed a deadly clash in September, where 60 people were killed and dozens injured, according to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi.
The ongoing tribal dispute, centered on a land conflict, has claimed many lives. While a two-month ceasefire was reached in August after armed clashes left 50 dead and 226 wounded, the fragile peace has since deteriorated, leaving the region in turmoil.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
