The ongoing clashes in District Kurram have claimed three more lives, raising the death toll to 110 over the past eight days, despite a recent ceasefire agreement. The number of injured now stands at 151, as violence continues to ravage the region.
According to district authorities, the main Peshawar-Parachinar highway has remained closed for the eighth consecutive day, severely disrupting daily life and trade activities. The closure has also halted trade at the Kharlachi border with Afghanistan, exacerbating the economic impact on the area.
Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud confirmed that the road closure has further strained the local economy. Additionally, internet and mobile phone services have been suspended in the region, leaving residents cut off from communication and essential services.
As of Thursday, the death toll had already reached 107, with five more fatalities and nine additional injuries reported, despite claims of a ceasefire deal. A 10-day truce was brokered earlier this week, but the violence has persisted, rendering the ceasefire ineffective.
The recent wave of violence began eight days ago, when ambushes on two separate convoys under police escort resulted in 52 deaths on November 21. Since then, clashes between the warring factions have intensified, with police struggling to maintain control.
The highway closure has not only disrupted local transportation but has also led to the complete suspension of trade with Afghanistan, particularly at the Kharlachi border. Meanwhile, the district administration is working to enforce the ceasefire.
Deputy Commissioner Mehsud reported that efforts are ongoing, with a jirga of elders from Hangu, Orakzai, and Kohat engaging both sides to negotiate a lasting truce. “The parties have agreed to the ceasefire, and steps are being taken to stop clashes,” he said.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan recorded 79 deaths in the region between July and October this year, underscoring the persistent instability in the area. Previous efforts to mediate peace, including a seven-day truce brokered by provincial officials earlier this month, have failed to hold.
A high-powered delegation, including KP Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry and IGP Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, had also mediated a ceasefire last weekend, but violence resumed shortly afterward.
