Death toll rises to 130 in Pakistan's Khurram clashes as region grapples with tribal violence

The ongoing tribal clashes in Pakistan's Khurram district have claimed 130 lives, with six additional fatalities and eight injuries reported on Sunday, December 1. The violence, now in its 11th consecutive day, has left a staggering 186 individuals injured and plunged the region into a humanitarian crisis. 

The clashes have severely disrupted daily life, forcing the closure of critical routes such as the Peshawar-Parachinar road and the Pak-Afghan Kharlachi border. These blockages have worsened shortages of essential goods, including food, oil, and medicines, leaving residents in dire straits. Adding to the crisis, a communication blackout has cut off mobile and internet services, while schools across the region remain closed.

Deputy Commissioner Javed Ullah Mehsud confirmed that security forces are stationed throughout Lower Kurram as efforts to negotiate a ceasefire continue. “We are hopeful for progress toward a truce and reopening transport routes,” he stated. 

The violence was triggered on November 21 by the ambush of two police-escorted convoys, resulting in 52 deaths on the first day alone. While a temporary ceasefire was reached last week, it was short-lived, lasting just 10 days before hostilities resumed. Police forces continue to face challenges in containing the unrest. 

Reports from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan revealed that 79 deaths occurred in Kurram between July and October, highlighting the region's long-standing volatility. Efforts to broker peace, including interventions by KP Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry and IGP Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, have so far failed to yield lasting results.

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