At least six people were killed after terrorists attacked a passenger vehicle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, police said on Wednesday.

Kohat Regional Police Officer Abbas Majeed Marwat said in a statement, “Six passengers have been killed in a tragic incident of firing on a passenger vehicle in Lower Kurram.

“A search operation has been launched after the terrorist incident,” he said, adding that 12 suspects were detained in the operation and a large number of weapons were recovered from them.

“Terrorists will not be spared under any circumstances. No one will be allowed to disturb regional peace,” RPO Marwat stated.

Earlier today, Kurram District Police Officer Kurram Malik Habib Khan said that the unknown assailants fled the scene after the attack. “The bodies have been taken to the hospital,” he said, adding that an investigation into the incident was underway.

Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Hameed Hussain condemned the incident in a statement, calling it “an attempt to disrupt the peace of the area”.

“Such incidents are regrettable even after the establishment of check posts on the main highway,” he said.

Meanwhile, Haji Zamin Hussain, secretary of the Anjuman-e-Hussainia Parachinar, strongly condemned the attack, stating, “We are shocked at the incident as people of Kurram have been martyred.”

He expressed solidarity with the victims and called for “severe punishment” against the culprits. “We all should stand together to punish the perpetrators,” he said. He added that there has been “complete peace” in the Turi area and no incidents on the road over the past six months.

Kurram has been marred with tribal violence stemming from decades-old land disputes, which claimed at least 130 lives last year. Following months of conflict, the warring tribes reached a ceasefire agreement in January this year, followed by a year-long peace deal signed in July by the Lower Kurram and Sadda tribes.

In April, three people were killed and several others went missing when unidentified assailants attacked a group of people travelling from Parachinar to Peshawar in the Bagan area of Lower Kurram, triggering protests across the tribal district.

This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.