IRIA News

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Three days of brutal sectarian violence in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have killed at least 82 people and wounded 156 more, a local official said on November 24, 2024. The clashes started after a brutal massacre on November 21. The attack on a passenger convoy in the Mandori Charkhel area of Lower Kurram killed 43 and injured more than 30 people.

The convoy, consisting of approximately 200 vehicles, was traveling from Parachinar to Peshawar when it was attacked on November 21. The Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud, confirmed the staggering toll, adding that the deceased included seven women and a nine-year-old girl.

Most of the passengers were members of the Shia community, a group often targeted in Pakistan’s sectarian violence. Witnesses described the attack as a highly coordinated ambush, with gunfire erupting from four sides. Clashes erupted across the region following the incident.

The station house police officer in Kurram, Saleem Shah, said armed men in nearby towns of Bagan and Bacha Kot torched shops, houses and government property. Intense gunfire was ongoing between the Alizai and Bagan tribes in the Lower Kurram area.

“Educational institutions in Kurram are closed due to the severe tension. Both sides are targeting each other with heavy and automatic weapons,” said Shah.

Sectarian violence

Kurram District’s volatile mix of sectarian and tribal dynamics has been a fertile ground for militancy and violence. Heavily armed groups exploit local disputes and religious disagreements to inflame tensions, turning small clashes over property or resources into bloody sectarian feuds. The state’s failure to resolve these disputes or control the proliferation of weapons has exacerbated the problem.

The government’s lack of action has emboldened militants, with each incident reinforcing the cycle of violence. The region’s proximity to Afghanistan further complicates the security landscape. Cross-border influences, including militant groups and their agendas, spill over into Kurram, fueling the violence.

History of bloodshed in Kurram

The site of the attack, Mandori Charkhel, is a region steeped in sectarian tensions and marred by tribal disputes. The area has long been a hotspot for sectarian violence due to its mixed Sunni-Shia population and its strategic location bordering Afghanistan.

The road where the latest incident took place is a critical lifeline for the residents of Parachinar. It had only recently reopened after being closed for three weeks due to an earlier ambush on October 12 that left at least 16 people dead. The closure had deepened the humanitarian crisis in the area, cutting off access to vital supplies such as food and fuel.

Earlier in July, a weeklong confrontation resulted in 46 deaths and hundreds of injuries, while violence in September claimed 45 more lives. These incidents underscore the growing instability in the region, with casualties mounting and the government failing to restore law and order.

Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country, but the Kurram district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, located near the Afghan border, is home to a significant Shiite population. Tensions between these communities have led to decades of clashes.

Humanitarian Fallout

Beyond the staggering death toll, the frequent road closures and violence have led to dire humanitarian consequences. When the road to Parachinar was shut for three weeks in October, residents were left without necessities.

The repeated outbreaks of violence have left communities traumatized and divided. Despite the gravity of the situation, there has been little progress toward de-weaponization or reconciliation in the region.

Crisis for government

Despite efforts by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government to broker a ceasefire in the Kurram tribal district, fighting has persisted, and local sources report that the death toll has continued to rise. A delegation from the provincial government mediated the brief truce but even their helicopter came under fire upon arrival in the region over the weekend.

The violence is often fueled by longstanding disputes over land in the rugged, mountainous terrain, compounded by sectarian tensions between rival communities. Local police have struggled to maintain control in Kurram, which was part of the semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas until its merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.

Experts say the attack has once again highlighted the failing credibility of both provincial and federal authorities in Pakistan. Despite repeated promises to restore order, the state has struggled to address the root causes of violence in Kurram. Neither the provincial KP government nor the federal authorities have succeeded in implementing lasting solutions.

Observers point to the government’s inability to adequately police the region, de-weaponize communities, or mediate tribal and sectarian disputes. “The problem isn’t just law enforcement; it’s systemic neglect,” said a human rights activist.

While the government often blames the violence on external factors, such as cross-border militancy from Afghanistan, the lack of internal governance is glaring. The state’s inability to act decisively leaves a power vacuum that militants are more than willing to fill.

The Mandori Charkhel attack has reignited calls for the government to take immediate action. Community leaders are demanding better security, meaningful dialogue between sectarian groups, and an end to the cycle of violence.

These deadly clashes unfolded against the backdrop of a major political crisis in Pakistan, as thousands of supporters of the country’s jailed former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, marched into Islamabad. The demonstrators clashed with security forces and called for Khan’s release.

Islamabad has been in lockdown since the weekend in anticipation of a protest by Khan’s party, PTI, planned for November 24. Authorities have blocked key roads and highways with shipping containers and imposed internet restrictions as protesters continued their march. Clashes erupted at the capital’s entry points, with both protesters and police accusing each other of initiating violence.