Kurram clashes death toll rises to 99 as truce falters

Author: Agencies

The death toll from the recent violence that has plagued the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district rose to 99 on Tuesday after the government-brokered seven-day truce was broken. The police, in a statement, said that overnight firing between rival tribes left 10 dead and 21 others wounded, taking the toll to 99 deaths, as violence escalated.

An uptick in violence began last Thursday when two separate convoys travelling under police escort were ambushed, sparking two days of gun battles. At least 82 people were killed and 156 more wounded before the provincial government delegation – led by Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif – brokered the ceasefire on Sunday night.

But late Monday Kurram deputy commissioner Javedullah Mehsud told AFP “reports of tribal clashes and gunfire continue to emerge from several areas”. A security official stationed in Kurram who asked not to be named confirmed “clashes are ongoing” in at least three areas.

“There are significant disagreements over the exchange of prisoners and bodies,” he said. “According to my information, both communities are currently holding over 18 individuals hostage, including eight women.”

The educational institutions in the violence-hit districts have been closed for five days, while all roads – including Peshawar-Parachinar Central Highway – remain closed for sixth straight day.

Furthermore, the trade with Afghanistan at Kharlachi comes to halt due to closure of main highway. Internet and mobile services are also suspended in the district.

It is pertinent to mention here that tribal and family feuds are common in the area.

Last month, at least 16 people, including three women and two children, were killed in a clash in Kurram.

Previous clashes in July and September killed dozens of people and ended only after a jirga, or tribal council, called a ceasefire. HRCP said 79 people died between July and October in clashes.

Several hundred people demonstrated against the violence on Friday in Lahore and Karachi.

In Parachinar, the main town of Kurram district, thousands participated in a sit-in, while hundreds attended the funerals of the victims of Thursday’s attack.

The latest violence drew condemnation from officials and human rights groups.

The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) urged authorities this month to pay “urgent attention” to the “alarming frequency of clashes” in the region, warning that the situation has escalated to “the proportions of a humanitarian crisis.”