A third ceasefire between warring tribes in the embattled Kurram district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa appears to have taken hold, with the region’s deputy commissioner saying there had been no fresh violence from Sunday evening.
In a statement, the deputy commissioner said the latest ceasefire attempts had led to armed tribesmen vacating their positions. “Police and forces have been deployed,” he said. He claimed an upcoming Jirga would speak with local elders and urge them to sign a formal peace agreement and reopen roads. Closures of major arteries in the region has hampered citizens’ access to essential commodities, leading to shortages that have further hampered everyday life.
According to the deputy commissioner, the Jirga would include elders and parliamentarians from Kohat Division, who would visit Kurram to ensure a peace agreement between the warring tribes.
Since commencing two weeks ago, the clashes in Kurram have claimed at least 130 deaths and more than 180 injuries. On Saturday night, six individuals were killed and eight others injured as clashes continued despite an earlier announcement of a 10-day ceasefire. Prior to that, authorities had announced a 7-day ceasefire that had also failed to achieve any peace.
While clashes between warring tribes in Kurram go back decades, the latest clashes began after two convoys were attacked while traveling from Parachinar to Peshawar. The attack resulted in 52 deaths on Nov. 21, with subsequent clashes escalating the situation and hampering multiple attempts to broker peace.
In a bid to ensure security, the government has suspended mobile and internet services, shut down schools and blocked major arteries. The closure of the main highway disrupted local transportation and triggered a complete suspension of trade with Afghanistan.
As the violence escalated, calls mounted for action from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa led by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who led the PTI’s protest in Islamabad while Kurram was in flames. In a statement on Saturday, Gandapur directed authorities to demolish dugouts of rival tribes and seize their weapons.
Attending a grand Jirga in Kohat, the chief minister directed authorities concerned to take measures for the “immediate resettlement” of homeless victims in Kurram. “People’s loss of life and property should be compensated immediately,” he said, adding confiscated weapons would be kept in authorities’ custody until the restoration of peace.
Stressing that peace could not be achieved without locals’ cooperation, he also called for action against those spreading hatred on social media.