KURRAM: Four persons died and six others sustained injuries when two vehicles being escorted by police came under attack in Charkhel area of Lower Kurram on Thursday.

Police sources said the vehicles were on way from Thal area of district Hangu to Parachinar, headquarters of Kurram district, when it came under attack, adding the injured persons were shifted to Combined Military Hospital Thal.

An eyewitness, Tahir Hussain, who escaped the attack, told Dawn that armed men started indiscriminate firing when the convoy reached Charkhel area. Police retaliated but the unknown attackers escaped, they said.

Meanwhile, Turi Bangash tribal elder Inayat Turi and president Tehreek-i-Hussaini Allama Tajammal Hussain demanded immediate action against the attackers.

At least eight persons have lost their lives and 13 others sustained injuries in the sectarian conflict in the district during the past 48 hours.

Officials said the violence erupted after a controversial video went viral on the social media, adding that the video was strongly condemned by both the sects and a protest demonstration was planned for Friday.

On Wednesday, a man was killed and two others were injured after unknown persons opened fire at them in Shalozan area of Upper Kurram.

In another attack on a passenger vehicle, carrying overseas Pakistanis, who had returned from Qatar, came under fire in Badhber area on outskirts of the provincial capital. The overseas Pakistanis were on their way to Parachinar.

A jirga leader, Haji Rauf, stated that two persons busy in construction of an imambargah in Dandar area the Kurram district died and three others were injured when unknown armed persons attacked them.

Kurram District Police Officer Mohammad Imran told Dawn that efforts were under way and a jirga was being convened to pacify the situation.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2023