Over the past 11 days, the violence has left 186 people injured, as tensions between tribal groups continue to escalate.
The clashes have caused widespread disruption, including the closure of the vital Peshawar-Parachinar road and the suspension of movement at the Pak-Afghan Kharlachi border. The blockade has led to severe shortages of oil, food supplies, and medicines in the region. Communication blackouts, with mobile and internet services cut off, have further isolated the affected areas. Schools remain closed due to safety concerns.
Deputy Commissioner Javed Ullah Mehsud stated that police and security forces have been deployed across Lower Kurram, and negotiations for a ceasefire are ongoing. "We remain optimistic about progress toward a ceasefire and the reopening of transport routes," Mehsud told local media.
The violence erupted on November 21 when ambushes on two police-escorted convoys resulted in 52 deaths on the first day. Despite a recently brokered 10-day truce, sporadic violence has continued, undermining peace efforts.
A high-level delegation, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry and Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, had facilitated a ceasefire last weekend, but it was quickly violated.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has highlighted the ongoing instability in the region, reporting 79 deaths between July and October. Previous peace agreements, including a seven-day truce brokered in November, have also failed to achieve lasting stability.
Efforts to restore peace and reopen transport routes are ongoing as the humanitarian situation in Kurram remains dire. (ILKHA)