KURRAM: The death toll from Thursday’s attack on a supply convoy traveling to Parachinar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district has now reached 10, according to District Health Officer (DHO) Qaiser Abbas.
The attack, which occurred in the Bagan area, initially claimed the life of one security official and left four others injured. As of Friday, one more security official has succumbed to his injuries, along with six drivers and two passengers who were also killed during the assault.
The convoy, comprising 35 vehicles carrying essential goods for the residents of Parachinar, was ambushed by attackers. In response, security personnel escorting the convoy engaged the assailants, resulting in six attackers being killed and ten others injured. However, communication was lost with the drivers of 29 vehicles, and many were left stranded. Some vehicles managed to make it to safety in Thall, Hangu district.
Further details shared by the DHO revealed that the bodies of a driver and a passenger were found dismembered and transported to Lower Alizai, while four other drivers were discovered in the Udawali area with signs of torture and gunshot wounds. Their bodies were subsequently taken to Alizai Hospital.
The family members of the victims told Dawn.com that they had been in contact with the drivers until 1 am, but communication ceased after that time. Nazir Ahmad, the president of the Parachinar Trade Union, reported that 20 trucks in the convoy were burned and looted, while only one truck reached Parachinar after delivering its cargo.
The ongoing violence, which has been exacerbated by longstanding land disputes in the region, has claimed over 130 lives since November. The conflict has led to severe shortages of food and medicine due to road blockages. Despite a peace agreement being signed on January 1, the route to Parachinar remains blocked, and tensions continue to mount.
