Over 40 killed in Pakistan as gunmen attack passenger convoy

Unidentified assailants opened fire on a convoy comprising 200 passenger vehicles in a remote region of Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of at least 41 individuals, among them women and children. The attack occurred as the vehicles traversed Pakistan’s tribal district of Kurram, situated near the Afghan border, as reported by the deputy police commissioner for the area. A provincial spokesman stated that the gunmen initially directed their attack towards the convoy’s police escort. The police had been providing protection to the convoy due to several months of sectarian violence in the region, which has resulted in dozens of fatalities this year. Law enforcement officials informed the BBC that Thursday’s assault claimed 41 lives, with an additional 16 individuals sustaining critical injuries. Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, the chief secretary of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, conveyed to Reuters news agency that the incident constituted “a major tragedy” and that the number of fatalities was “likely to rise”. Saeeda Bano, positioned in the middle of the convoy, recounted to BBC Urdu her fear of being killed as she sought refuge with her children beneath the car seats throughout the assault. After several minutes, when the gunfire ceased, she observed injured individuals and bodies on the road. While precise details of the event are still being gathered, Javed ullah Mehsud, a senior administration official, informed AFP that “approximately 10 attackers” participated, “firing indiscriminately from both sides of the road”. He further stated that women and children had concealed themselves in nearby residences as police pursued the assailants. In a previous statement, he mentioned that the majority of passengers in the convoy traversing the mountainous terrain were Shia. Sunni and Shia Muslim tribes have engaged in repeated clashes this year. A previous series of assaults concluded after a tribal council advocated for a ceasefire, as reported by Reuters news agency. Last month, another assault on passenger vehicles occurred on a regional road, claiming 15 lives. The road used by Thursday’s convoy had only been reopened recently, with travel restricted to convoys accompanied by police protection. Sectarian violence in the region is frequently associated with land disputes. Nevertheless, Kurram, located in Pakistan’s north-west, shares a border with several Afghan provinces that harbor anti-Shia militant organizations, such as the Islamic State group and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).