KURRAM, PAKISTAN — Clashes between two rival tribes in Pakistan’s volatile Kurram district have resulted in at least 28 fatalities and 145 injuries, following a long-standing land dispute. The violence erupted between the Boshehra and Maleekhel tribes on Wednesday and continues despite ongoing efforts by a jirga, a traditional tribal assembly, to mediate.
The warring tribes have deployed sophisticated weaponry, including mortar shells and rocket launchers, targeting each other’s settlements. Areas such as Parachinar and Sadda, major cities within Kurram, have been heavily impacted by the conflict.
Dr. Mir Hassan Jan, head of the District Headquarters Hospital in Parachinar, said, “We have 28 dead and another 145 wounded that have been brought or are being treated at the district’s hospitals.”
The ongoing fighting has also led to the closure of the road connecting Parachinar to Peshawar. This blockade is severely affecting traders and farmers, who are now facing significant economic losses and are expressing frustration towards the government for its inability to control the situation.
Former federal minister Sajid Hussain Turi highlighted the severe impact of the violence, noting shortages in food and essential medicines due to the disrupted supply lines. “The two sides are pounding each other and nearby villages with heavy and small weapons,” he said.
In response to the escalating violence, Ali Amin Gandapur, Chief Minister of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has called for a resolution through traditional tribal mechanisms. He emphasized that “no one will be allowed to take the law into their hands or disturb the peace of the area” and urged the tribes to address their property dispute through a jirga.
Kurram district, known for its history of tribal and sectarian conflicts, previously experienced a protracted conflict in 2007 that lasted four years before being resolved with the help of a jirga. The current situation underscores the region’s ongoing struggle with tribal violence and the challenges of maintaining peace.
