The death toll from ongoing clashes between rival villages in Kurram Agency has risen to 31, with over 100 people injured. The violence, which erupted on Saturday evening, has involved heavy and automatic weapons fire between the warring factions.
The conflict is concentrated around the Bagan and Alizai areas in Lower Kurram, with tensions flaring after an attack on a passenger convoy on November 21, which left 43 people dead, including 7 women and 3 children. This deadly incident ignited the current wave of fighting, with intense exchanges of gunfire taking place in multiple locations, including Kunj Alizai and Maqbool villages in Upper Kurram, and Balishkhel and Kharkali in Lower Kurram.
Clashes are reportedly ongoing in Bagan and Lower Alizai, approximately 60 kilometers from Parachinar city. Overnight raids have resulted in significant damage to shops and homes in the affected areas.
A helicopter carrying a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government delegation, which was sent to Parachinar on the orders of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, was reportedly fired upon by unidentified individuals. However, authorities later confirmed that neither the helicopter nor the delegation were harmed. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Law Minister Atif Alam denied the reports, stating that no such incident took place and that the delegation remains safe.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had planned a one-day visit to Parachinar to offer condolences to the victims’ families, but his trip was postponed due to adverse weather conditions.
In response to the ongoing violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the recent tragedy in Kurram Agency, the Awami National Party (ANP) has announced a province-wide black day on November 25. The party is protesting the rising incidents of terrorism in the province. Police confirm the death toll from the tribal clashes has reached 31, with more than 100 injured. The situation remains tense and volatile.
