Operation Kurram: A Battle for Peace in Pakistan's Frontier

In response to continual attacks on security personnel and aid convoys, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government plans to initiate a military operation in Kurram district, urging residents in specific villages to evacuate. A ceasefire was previously reached after significant sectarian violence resulted in numerous casualties.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in northwest Pakistan is preparing for a military operation in Kurram district, following relentless militant attacks on security forces and humanitarian aid convoys, official sources revealed on Wednesday.

Authorities have instructed residents of four villages—Ochat, Daad Kamar, Manduri, and Bagan—to evacuate to facilitate the upcoming operation. In addition to this, the government has announced reward money for information on those causing unrest and has halted the distribution of compensation cheques due to recent violence.

The district, scarred by repeated violence, saw the latest attack on Monday night, which forms part of a long history of tribal and sectarian conflicts. Despite a ceasefire between Sunni and Shia groups signed in January, Kurram remains volatile, with over 150 fatalities since a new wave of clashes erupted in November 2024.

(With inputs from agencies.)