The Deputy Commissioner of Kurram has announced that he has launched an operation in four troubled areas of the district after miscreants attacked a convoy carrying goods to Parachinar and abducted a number of people, some of whom were later executed.

Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmed issued a notification on Saturday to set up camps in Thal and Hangu for the people who will be displaced during the operation. According to the announcement, operations will be conducted in four areas of Lower Kurram: Bagan, Mandori, Chapri Parau and Chapri.

A letter has been sent to the provincial relief department for the establishment of Temporary Displaced Persons (TDP) camps. These camps are being set up at Thal Degree College, Technical College, Rescue 1122 and the court building. They must ensure the residents’ safety during the operation.

A committee has also been constituted under the supervision of the Additional Deputy Commissioner. According to the report, 1,079 families and a total of 17,625 people will be accommodated in the camps.

Kurram has long been plagued by decades-old sectarian clashes, which have escalated into land disputes and claimed at least 140 lives since November 2024. On January 1, however, the warring tribesmen signed an agreement under the auspices of a tribal jirga.

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

However, on January 4, a convoy of former Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud came under attack near 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. However, the fragile peace in Kurram was short-lived when unidentified gunmen on Thursday launched a rocket attack on a convoy of 35 vehicles carrying fruits, vegetables, medicine and other essential items from Thall to Bagan area.

The convoy was escorted by police, FC and other security personnel.

According to Kurram Deputy Commissioner Shaukat Ali, one security man was martyred while four sustained injuries during the attack. He said six terrorists were killed while 10 were injured in the retaliatory reaction. The attack was also confirmed by local police SHO Afzal Karim.

According to the police, six vehicles in the convoy were set on fire. “After the attack, 21 trucks withdrew from the area while others remained stranded,” a senior police official told AFP on condition of anonymity. “Intense gunfire erupted at two other locations following the incident.”

Sources said that relief trucks, which had returned due to the fragile law and order situation, were looted by locals. Police said Bagan residents shared footage of the looting on social media.

It was later reported that a number of people in the convoy were also abducted during the attack and dead bodies of six of them were discovered in the Aravali area of ​​Kurram with their hands and feet tied.

The victims included five drivers from Parachinar and one Saqib Hussain. The unfortunate Saqib had returned to Pakistan from Dubai after ten years. Frustrated by three and a half months of roadblocks and long delays, Saqib had decided to travel home in a truck. But terrorists killed him.

Kurram continues to face a severe shortage of food supplies, medicine and other essentials due to ongoing clashes, with the main roads leading to Parachinar remaining closed.

A few days ago, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had claimed that the situation in Kurram was “returning to normal” as 25 vehicles from another convoy carrying essentials had reached the district.