More than 100 villages in Upper and Lower Kurram, including the district headquarters of Parachinar, have been under siege for more than three-and-a-half months. The area has faced extreme hostility, especially since the November 21, 2024 convoy attack that killed 50 people, including women and children. The convoy was traveling from Peshawar to Parachinar. Despite the peace accords, the main highway to Parachinar remains closed, preventing the delivery of essential supplies such as food. Local elders attribute the lingering insecurity to the long and porous border with Afghanistan, which has become a hotbed of instability. Some believe that resolving the issue requires both sides to overcome previous mistakes and embrace reconciliation. In Lower Kurram, security forces and police units are conducting operations against militants, with curfew currently in place. According to officials, 20 families have already evacuated their homes in the affected areas of Lower Kurram. Some of these displaced families sought refuge with relatives, while others moved to Hang. The situation in Kurram remains dire, with residents facing severe shortages of basic necessities and ongoing security challenges. The ongoing blockade and violence have left the community in a state of emergency that requires urgent attention and solutions. Meanwhile, in Bagan and its adjoining areas, the clearance operation launched by the law enforcement agencies along with the civil administration to rid the Kurram district of miscreants continued for the third day. The operation was launched after the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government approved “indiscriminate and stern action” against those involved in attacks on relief convoys and deputy commissioners. Personnel of the KP police, district administration and other law enforcement agencies participated in the clearance operation in Bagan and its suburbs after moving residents to safe places, sources close to the provincial government told Geo News. Prior to this development, the district administration had set up Temporary Displaced Persons (TDP) camps in four village councils of the lower tribal district of Kurram. A convoy with relief goods is likely to be sent to the district in the coming days. On the other hand, those whose shops and houses were burnt down in the riots following the attack on a convoy in Bagan on November 21, 2024 are awaiting compensation. At least 400 shops and hundreds of houses were destroyed in the incident. Besides, negotiations are underway on the Talpara-Chinar Highway in Mandur to approve their demands and provide financial assistance. Despite a peace agreement reached between the warring tribes in talks mediated by the Grand Jirga, the Kurram Peace Committee and local peace groups, the situation in the district remains uncertain.
