Tribal Clashes In Pakistan’s Kurram District Claim 37 Lives, Fuel Humanitarian Concerns

At least 37 people have been killed and over two dozen injured in escalating tribal violence in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, authorities reported on Saturday. The clashes between the Alizai and Bagan tribes in Kurram district, near the Afghan border, intensified following an attack on a convoy near Parachinar on Thursday, which resulted in 47 fatalities.

Amid intermittent gunfire in areas like Balishkhel, Khar Kali, and Maqbal, the Thall-Sada-Parachinar Highway remains blocked, disrupting access and exacerbating the crisis. Schools across the district are closed, according to Muhammad Hayat Hassan, chairman of the Private Education Network. Reports of six women taken hostage remain unconfirmed due to limited communication access.

Videos circulating online highlight the brutality of the violence, showing charred bodies of victims and attackers. Authorities are urging calm while elders from both tribal sects warn of potential escalations. A high-level government delegation, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Law Minister and other officials, has been dispatched to the region to mediate and stabilize the situation.

The violence follows a pattern of sectarian and tribal clashes in Kurram, which borders Afghanistan and has historically seen conflict between Sunni and Shia communities. In September, over 50 people were killed and 120 injured in an eight-day conflict over land disputes. Similar clashes have claimed 79 lives since July, with ceasefires often brokered through tribal councils (jirgas).

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for urgent action, warning that the recurring violence has escalated into a humanitarian crisis. “The access to heavy weaponry by local rival groups reflects the state’s inability to control the flow of arms,” the HRCP stated.

Meanwhile, protests have erupted in cities like Lahore and Karachi, while thousands gathered in Parachinar for funerals and sit-ins. Road blockades have created shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, further straining the already volatile region.

This latest wave of violence coincides with other security challenges in the province, including the deaths of at least 20 soldiers in recent attacks. Officials are urging coordinated efforts to restore peace and provide relief to affected communities.