At least 10 people have been killed and 21 others injured in continued sectarian violence in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, despite a ceasefire brokered between Sunni and Shia communities. The latest clashes occurred in Kurram district, bordering Afghanistan, on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, following several days of sporadic fighting.
The violence between the Alizai and Bagan tribes, which erupted on Friday, November 22, 2024, after an attack on a passenger van convoy near Parachinar that left 47 people dead, has persisted despite a seven-day ceasefire agreed upon two days later. Despite the agreement, clashes continued on Tuesday in areas like Ghozaghari, Matasanagar, and Kunj Alizai.
A provincial delegation had met with community elders on Sunday, November 24, to broker the ceasefire, but tensions remain high. Local authorities are now planning further mediation efforts through a grand jirga (tribal council), which will be led by the Commissioner of Kohat division.
Meanwhile, the violence has compounded the region’s healthcare crisis, with road closures following the November 21 attack preventing the delivery of necessary medicines to hospitals in the area. Dr. Mir Hassan Khan, Superintendent of Kurram District Headquarters Hospital, warned that the shortage of supplies is causing avoidable deaths.
The ongoing sectarian violence in Kurram, a historically troubled region, is reportedly linked to a land dispute, adding to the complex nature of the tensions between Shia Muslims, who make up 15% of Pakistan’s population, and the Sunni majority.