Truce after 111 killed in Pakistan sectarian feuding
Feuding communities in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday agreed to a new 10-day ceasefire, as the death toll from a week-long spate of violence rose to 111, officials said.
'A ten-day ceasefire between the warring parties in Kurram has come into effect as of today,' announced the office of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the violence occurred.
The announcement followed a day of ongoing clashes, with officials reporting that the death toll had risen to 111, comprising 79 Shias and 32 Sunnis. Another 88 individuals sustained injuries during the unrest.
Kurram, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, has long been a flashpoint for Sunni-Shia tensions in Pakistan, a country with a Sunni majority but significant Shia communities. Sectarian clashes in the region date back decades.
To enforce the ceasefire, provincial authorities stated that troops would be stationed at strategic points throughout Kurram, and compensation would be provided to the families of those affected. "Negotiations will continue to secure lasting peace," the statement added.
The violence erupted last Thursday when two Shia Muslim convoys traveling under police protection were ambushed, resulting in at least 43 fatalities. Although officials brokered a seven-day ceasefire over the weekend, it failed to hold, leading to further bloodshed.
Authorities in Kurram have historically faced challenges in maintaining peace. The district, formerly part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, was integrated into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in 2018, but the region remains vulnerable to recurring sectarian conflict.
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