Peshawar, Jan 19 (PTI) Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provincial government on Sunday launched an operation in troubled areas of Kurram district after armed men attacked an aid convoy transporting goods to Parachinar and killed several people, officials said.
The operation started in four village councils of Lower Kurram district, including Bagan, Mandori, Chapri and Chapripao, to secure the roads and establish lasting peace in the region, where sectarian clashes have left dozens dead since November, they said.
The KPK government spokesperson has officially announced the initiation of the operation in troubled areas of the restive Kurram district.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting attended by Chief Secretary KPK, IG Police, and other civil and police officials.
The meeting decided to take strict action against terrorists without any discrimination. The state supports peaceful elements, and oppressors would be brought to justice, officials said.
Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmed issued a notification on Saturday to establish camps in Thal and Hangu for the displaced people, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.
Security forces will assist police and civil administration in action against miscreants. The government suspects that some miscreants have infiltrated among citizens, officials said.
Sectarian clashes between Shia and Sunni tribes have claimed at least 130 lives since November last year, with food and medicine shortages reported due to weeks-long road blockades in the region. A peace agreement was reached between the warring tribes on January 1, but the route connecting Parachinar remained blocked.
Under the peace agreement, residents pledged to surrender their weapons to the state in different phases within 15 days, while the dismantling of local bunkers is to be completed by February 2025.
However, aid convoys have repeatedly been attacked in Kurram district in January, resulting in casualties.
On Thursday, an aid convoy of 35 vehicles en route to Parachinar was attacked in Bagan, which resulted in the deaths of five drivers, one passenger, and two security personnel.
The district administration had said that six attackers were killed in retaliatory action and helicopter shelling, although some persons were reported still missing, Geo News reported.
According to the business community, 33 out of the 35 trucks were taken to Bagan and surrounding areas, and 12 vehicles were set on fire.
Parachinar, upper Kurram, has been under siege for the past 110 days, with people dying due to a lack of essential supplies. The community has urged the government to take immediate action to address the situation, it added. PTI AYZ ZH ZH
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