Death toll in Kurram violence climbs to 124: police

• Kurram region faces communication blackout; schools remain shut. 
• Closure of Peshawar-Parachinar Highway disrupts daily life. 
• Deputy Commissioner Mehsud "hopeful for progress on ceasefire".
  

KURRAM: The death toll from ongoing tribal clashes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's District Kurram has risen further, as two more individuals lost their lives and 10 others were injured in fresh incidents of firing, sources told Geo News. 

The police confirmed that the latest spell of violence, now entering its tenth day, has claimed 124 lives in total and injured 178 others. 

The Kurram region is facing a communication blackout, with mobile and internet services suspended and educational institutions closed.

According to the district administration, the continuous closure of main Peshawar-Parachinar highway has disrupted daily life and trade activities.

Efforts to restore peace are underway, with Deputy Commissioner Javed Ullah Mehsud saying that the ongoing negotiations with representatives from the both warring sides. 

“We are hopeful for progress on a ceasefire and reopening of transport routes,” he stated.

Meanwhile, judicial officials remain stranded in Parachinar amidst the unrest. 

According to the President of the Sadda Tehsil Bar, two judges and 25 judicial staff members have been unable to leave the area for the past 10 days. The provincial government had proposed airlifting them via helicopter, but no rescue operation has been carried out thus far.

The situation has remained tense since 21 November and violence persists despite a recent ceasefire agreement.

A 10-day truce was brokered earlier in the week, but intermittent violence has rendered it ineffective.

The recent episode of clashes began nine days ago with ambushes on two separate convoys under police escort, resulting in 52 deaths on the first day. Since then, violence between the warring factions has escalated, with police struggling to maintain control.

The main highway closure has not only disrupted local transportation but also caused a complete suspension of trade with Afghanistan, particularly at the Kharlachi border. Meanwhile, the district administration is working to enforce the ceasefire.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan recorded 79 deaths in the region between July and October this year, highlighting the persistent instability.

Previous efforts to mediate peace, including a seven-day truce brokered by provincial officials earlier this month, have failed to hold.

A high-powered delegation, including KP Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry and IGP Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, had also negotiated a ceasefire last weekend, but violence resumed shortly afterward.