Amid ongoing violent clashes between tribal groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, 12 more people lost their lives in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 30, police reported on Saturday.
At least 20 others were injured in intense armed confrontations between rival tribes in the densely populated Bagan and Alizai areas of Lower Kurram. This new wave of violence follows an attack two days earlier, where gunmen targeted two police-escorted convoys in Kurram, resulting in 45 fatalities. Over the past three days, clashes have claimed at least 75 lives, according to police sources.
In response to the escalating violence, approximately 300 families have fled their homes, relocating to safer areas such as Hangu and Peshawar, with more families preparing to leave. “About 300 families have moved since this morning,” a senior official said, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Tribal and family disputes are a recurring issue in the region. Just last month, a clash in Kurram left 16 people dead, including women and children. Previous clashes in July and September claimed dozens of lives, with ceasefires brokered by tribal councils, or jirgas. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reports that 79 people were killed in tribal violence between July and October.
The ongoing unrest has sparked protests in Lahore and Karachi, with several hundred demonstrators condemning the violence. In Parachinar, the main town in Kurram, thousands participated in a sit-in, and hundreds attended funerals for victims of Thursday’s attacks. The situation has drawn widespread condemnation from officials and human rights groups, with the HRCP warning that the violence has reached a “humanitarian crisis” level and urging immediate government intervention.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur expressed deep regret over the attacks, calling them “highly condemnable.” Chairing a meeting via video link to address the Kurram situation, he vowed to explore all options to restore peace.
A government delegation that met with tribal elders presented an initial report to the chief minister. Gandapur emphasized the need for a ceasefire as a prerequisite for resolving the conflict and urged tribal elders to cooperate with the administration. He assured that the government was actively monitoring the situation and making efforts to end the violence.
