PESHAWAR: At least four people were killed and three others injured in fresh violence in the troubled Kurram district, police said on Friday.

They said residents were busy working in their fields in Shinguk area on Thursday when armed motorcyclists came there 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 they received two bodies and three injured.

The police said local armed people chased the assailants and shot both of them dead.

Terming it an act of terrorism, deputy commissioner Javedullah Mehsud said they were investigating the incident.

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

Police said intense firing still continued in the area while firing on passenger vehicles in Kanj Alizai area near Pak-Afghan border further aggravated the situation.

Meanwhile, the elders have said continuous closure of main and link roads would lead to a humanitarian crisis due to acute shortage of edibles, medicines, petrol and diesel reserves in Kurram.

Elders from the Turi and Bangash tribes have expressed concern that the continuous closure of roads caused shortage of food and fuel supplies, raising the fear of a major humanitarian crisis.

They said suspension of 3G and 4G services had also caused distress to students and citizens. After incidents of firing on passenger vehicles a few days ago, the main Parachinar-Peshawar Road and other routes have been closed.

Violence stopped last month and the authorities also reopened the Pak-Afghan border crossing at Kharlachi. The dispute involves two rival tribes, who have been fighting over a piece of land.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2024