At least 15 killed in attack on passenger vehicles in Kurram

• Firing has left multiple injured including three women.
• Convoy of vehicles heading towards Peshawar comes under attack.
• Assailants open fire on passenger vehicles in Ochat.

KURRAM: In a fresh violent incident, at least 15 people including a woman and a child were killed on Thursday after assailants opened fire on passenger vehicles in Ochat area of Kurram district, police told Geo News.

Police said the convoy travelling from Parachinar to Peshawar was targetted in the attack, which has left multiple people injured including three women, in addition to the killings.

It has been several months since the district is marred with clashes between various tribes and parties. The clashes have claimed dozens of lives.

The violence has led to frequent closure of main and link roads as well as border with Afghanistan, causing immense troubles for the local residents.

The area elders have said that continuous closure of main and link roads would lead to massive humanitarian crises due to acute shortage of edibles, medicines, petrol and diesel reserves in District Kurram.

Tribal elders from the Turi and Bangash tribes have expressed concern that the continuous closure of roads has caused shortage of food and fuel supplies, raising the fear of a major humanitarian crisis.

They said that suspension of 3G and 4G services had also caused distress for students and citizens, affecting studies and businesses alike in the area.

After incidents of firing on passenger vehicles last month, the main Parachinar-Peshawar and other routes had been closed owing to fear of more such incidents, as violence continues to haunt the region.

September clashes saw 60 people’s deaths and dozens of injuries, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi had said.

The dispute involved two rival tribes who fought over a piece of land. In August, the two sides had reached a two-month ceasefire after the armed clashes resulted in 50 casualties and wounded 226 others.