Two shot dead, three injured as Kurram unrest continues

• Slain men identified as Hidayat Hussain and Hashim Ali. 
• Deputy commissioner says investigating incident. 
• Javedullah Mahsud terms incident act of terrorism. 
  

PARACHINAR: Two people were killed and three others injured when armed bikers opened fire in the Shingku area of Kurram, the latest incident of violence in the troubled region, The News reported. 

According to police, local residents were busy working in their fields in the Shinguk when armed motorcyclists came and opened fire on them.

As a result, two persons identified as Hidayat Hussain and Hashim Ali sustained multiple bullet injuries and died on the spot, while three others were wounded. 

Sources in the District Headquarters Hospital said that they had received two bodies and injured persons.

Terming it an act of terrorism, Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mahsud said that they were investigating the incident, saying that certain elements were involved in violence.

It may be noted that unknown gunmen had killed two persons in the same area in the same fashion a week ago.

Meanwhile, the 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 a few days ago, the main Parachinar-Peshawar and other routes have been closed owing to fear of more such incidents.

Violence stopped last month and the authorities also re-opened the Pak-Afghan border crossing at Kharlachi.

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

The dispute involves two rival tribes who have been fighting 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.