The death toll from Thursday’s brutal gun attack on passenger vans in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lower Kurram has risen to 42, while more than 30 others were injured in the attack, Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud said. The attack took place in the Mandori Charkhel area, a region wracked by sectarian tensions and land disputes.
The victims include seven women and a nine-year-old girl, marking the tremendous effect on families. Parachinar has received the bodies of the dead, while treatment for the injured continues. Schools and markets are still closed as the government starts stabilizing the situation.
It was an ambush that hit a convoy.
According to survivors, the attack targeted a convoy of around 200 vehicles from Parachinar en route to Peshawar. They described a sudden eruption of gunfire. One of the injured, Ajmeer Hussain, recalled his harrowing experience as follows:
“Gunfire suddenly erupted, and I started reciting my prayers, thinking these were my final moments. The shooting lasted about five minutes. I saw two passengers near me struck by multiple bullets and die instantly,” he said.
The attack is believed to be in retaliation for an earlier assault on October 12 that killed 15 people, including two women and a child. No group has claimed responsibility.
Land Disputes and Sectarian Violence
The Kurram district on the Afghan border has a history that is dotted with sectarian violence and land-ownership disputes. It is here that local officials suspect the attacks could have originated from land-related issues, though some fear a banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) might have been involved in the incidents.
The government had constituted a land commission to address the issue, but its findings are yet to be made public, which is further infuriating local communities.
Calls for Justice and Security
Local tribal leaders and community representatives have condemned the attack and urged authorities to act decisively. Jalal Bangash, a tribal elder, and Allama Tajammal Hussain criticized the government’s failure to ensure the safety of travelers despite previous peace efforts, including a mass protest march from Parachinar to Islamabad.
Broader Context of Escalating Violence
The incident adds to a spate of terrorist attacks across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with security forces having to bear the brunt of the violence. In November alone, at least 55 security personnel have been killed in various attacks.”.
At least 12 security personnel were martyred on Tuesday when militants attacked a checkpost in KP’s Bannu district. Since the TTP announced that it would target security forces after its ceasefire with the government ended in late 2022, such attacks have become more common.
Government Response
Deputy Commissioner Mehsud vowed swift action to stabilize the region, saying, “We will try to restore routine life as quickly as possible and then convene a grand jirga.” However, local people said more needs to be done to give security to travelers and settle all such disputes.
Tension in Kurram district continues unabated, as local and provincial authorities come under increasing pressure to prevent more bloodshed.