Desk:In a tragic incident, gunmen opened fire on passenger vehicles in the Kurram tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, killing at least 50 people, including six women and three children, and injuring 20 others. The attack took place on Thursday as the vehicles were traveling from Parachinar to Peshawar.
According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhary, heavily armed terrorists ambushed the convoy in the mountainous tribal region, spraying bullets indiscriminately. Several of the injured remain in critical condition, and the death toll is expected to rise.
The area, located near the Afghanistan border, has long been plagued by sectarian tensions between the Shia and Sunni communities over land disputes. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur condemned the incident and directed a delegation of lawmakers and officials to assess the situation in Kurram and submit a detailed report. “Targeting innocent civilians is a heinous and deplorable act. Those responsible will not escape justice,” he stated.
Local resident Ziarat Hussain, speaking via phone, confirmed that the attackers targeted two groups of vehicles, one of which was en route from Peshawar to Parachinar. Several of Hussain’s relatives were among those traveling in the convoy.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the incident and extended condolences to the victims’ families. Authorities have launched an investigation and intensified security measures in the region.