Peace returns to NW Pakistan as sectarian clashes in Kurram district end

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Peace has been restored in the Kurram district of northwestern Pakistan following a cease-fire brokered by a tribal assembly between two warring groups, a local police official said Tuesday.

Clashes that erupted late last month have subsided, with police deployed across the district to maintain order, Salim Shah, a local police officer, told Anadolu over the phone.

"Now there are no clashes as the Jirga brokered a cease-fire between the parties," Shah said.

Authorities have restored mobile and internet services, which were suspended last month after violence broke out. However, schools and businesses in the region remain closed but are expected to reopen soon, Shah added.

The sectarian violence began on Nov. 21 when unidentified gunmen attacked passenger vans, killing around 50 people, including women. The attack triggered weeks of clashes between Shia and Sunni tribes, leaving at least 130 people dead and nearly 200 injured.

Kurram, a tribal district near the Afghan border, has a history of sectarian violence fueled by long-standing land disputes. Parachinar, the district’s main town, is one of the few Shia-majority regions in predominantly Sunni Pakistan.