Parachinar

Curfew in Kurram Agency

Tariq Saeed

Peshawar—Indefinite curfew was clamped Monday in Kurram Agency following the sectarian uprisings in Sadda resulted in killing of as many as 16 people and serious injuries to over three dozens others.

On the other hand a fresh missile hit by the American drones in North Waziristan Agency killed up to seven more people Monday afternoon. The bloody clashes between the two villages of Sadda Kurram Agency namely Balish Khel and Khuwaar Kalay belonging to rival sects, started clashing some four days back.

More than twenty five people from both sides were injured and ten sustained wounds in the violent clashes between the two religious sects.

The officials in the political administration said the two sides taking positions against each other were using highly sophisticate weapons including mortar guns. High tension gripped the Sadda City.

Sources said those killed in clashes included equal number of people from Sunni and Shia sects. 20 members of the Sunni community and six Shiites were so for wounded. The injured were rushed to various hospitals of the Kurram agency.

The warring Sunni clans include Khuwaar Kalay, Sadda Bazaar and Mirukach while Balish Khel Sangeena and Ibrahimzai's were fighting from Shiite community. A political administration official said since both the groups were using sophisticated weapons including mortar guns and rocket launchers, number of shells fell on the houses of civilian population killing around a dozen people.

Following failure on part of the Kurram militia and the political administration of Kurram to effect ceasefire between the warring groups, the security forces Monday imposed curfew in Sadda and took control of the City to avoid further bloodshed. The army and FC have setup their posts at various points in the city and patrolling in the city to timely thwart any untoward incident. Besides, as the reports say, a tribal Jirga is also striving to effect truce between the rival sects with the Jirga elders expressing optimism to succeed in their efforts.

In the meanwhile, yet another drone attack in North Waziristan Agency on Monday left at least seven people dead and many others wounded.

Local sources say, the CIA operated pilot less spying planes or the drones targeted a vehicle in Michchi Khel area some ten kilometers west of Tehsil Mir Ali of NWA around 4.50 in the evening killing as many as four people o board the coach.

"The predator planes fired two missiles on the vehicle which was destroyed completely on main Mir Ali highway and at least four people were killed in the fresh missiles hit by the American planes on the spot while three more succumbed to their injuries later on". A source told Pakistan observer adding there were no reports if those killed were the militants though some officials say the target of the missiles hit were the alleged terrorists

SOURCE: http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=93825

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SOURCE: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Islamabad/21-May-2011/NA-body-for-declaring-Parachinar-disasterhit

NA body for declaring Parachinar disaster-hit

Published: May 21, 2011

ISLAMABAD - National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights held meeting on Friday that recommended the ministry of defence and the chief of army staff to take up the issue of Parachinar, restore 73 educational institutions and arrange PIA or C-130 facility for victims.
MNA Riaz Fatyana chaired the committee meeting which recommended that DG management crisis cell, additional secretaries, ministry of interior, ministry of defence and representatives of Fata will also visit the areas. It recommended that victim students should be given admission in other Pakistani educational intuitions while mobile medical units should be provided to the areas. The committee appealed to the interior minister to resolve the matter at the earliest. It also urged the federal government to declare Parachinar a disaster-affected area and provide the people with all facilities including the provision of food.

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The Haqqani's shaky peace deal in Kurram Agency

Circling the Lion's Den
A glance at the conflict in Afghanistan

MONDAY, 23 MAY 2011

The Haqqani's shaky peace deal in Kurram Agency

When Sunni and Shia tribesmen in the strategically important Kurram Agency in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas signed a peace agreement in February this year, it was clear that something was afoot. The two groups had been at each other's throats for several years. Shia members of the Turi tribe living in Upper Kurram had been the subject of a murderous campaign by neighbouring Sunni Bangash tribesmen and had been cut off from the rest of Pakistan by ambushes and road blocks that had seen hundreds of Shias taken out of buses and murdered at the side of the road. The main road to Peshawar, for example, had been closed since 2007, despite attempts by the Pakistani army to keep it open. According to some accounts, the Shias have been armed and supported by the Iranian regime, which is also predominantly Shia.
Much of this anti-Shia violence has been directed by Hakimullah Mahsud, now leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, but once its emir in Kurram, Orakzai and Khyber. Mahsud is vehemently anti-Shia, regarding them as 'pagans'. He has encouraged his fighters fleeing the Pakistani offensives in both South Waziristan and also Swat to regroup in Orakzai and Kurram and to take on the Shias.
The peace agreement was brokered by the Haqqanis, the family/tribal group who make up one of the main factions of the Afghan Taliban - whose members come from the Zadran tribe. The so-called Haqqani network is now recognised as the most sophisticated and capable insurgent organisation in Afghanistan, operating out of its main bases in North Waziristan.
Under pressure from the CIA drone campaign in North Waziristan and with the support of elements of the Pakistan military, who provide their finance and weapons, the Haqqanis have been looking to move their operations into Kurram, which provides easy access to Afghanistan. Kurram suits the bill perfectly, as it served as a major staging post for attacks against Soviet forces during the 1980s. Osama bin Laden helped build some of the training camps in the region and it is thought that the remnants of al-Qaeda - as well as other foreign forces in the region such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - and also Pakistani jihadist groups close to the military such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba will benefit from the peace deal with the Turi tribe.
According to a new report

from the Institute for the Study of War and the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project , written by Jeffrey Dressler and Reza Jan, the Haqqani's move into Kurram will have negative consequences for security and stability in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. They say it will become more difficult to identify, track and strike these groups once they have relocated.
This may be true, although it can hardly be in Iran's interests to allow the Taliban to come to power in Afghanistan. Nor is it likely that the deeply sectarian Sunnis under the command of Hakimullah Mahsud will be able to restrain themselves from killing Shias for very long, thus provoking yet another round of bloodletting in the region. This is a very shaky peace agreement indeed.

SOURCE: http://circlingthelionsden.blogspot.com/2011/05/haqqanis-shaky-peace-deal-in-kurram.html

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source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C05%5C24%5Cstory_24-5-2011_pg7_8

4 more killed in Kurram clashes

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

SADDA: Four more people were killed and 14 others sustained injuries in the ongoing clashes between armed tribal groups in Balishkhel village of the troubled Kurram Agency on Monday, tribal sources said.

The sources said several houses were also damaged in the clashes. At least eight people were killed and 17 others injured on Sunday in the clashes that erupted on Saturday. The sources said the security forces also targeted the trenches of the armed groups to force them stop fighting. On Sunday, the security forces had warned the warring groups to vacate their trenches by 2 p.m. but they did not do so.

Thousands of armed men belonging to Turi tribe on Sunday night attacked the Khar Killay and Sadda town but the assault was repulsed, the sources said. The combatants include members of Turi, Bangash, Mangal and other tribes, they added.

On the other hand, Assistant Political Agent Javedullah Mahsud convened a jirga of Mangal tribe elders to broker ceasefire between the two groups. The official told the elders that the political administration wanted to bring an end to the hostilities. The sources said Mangal elders agreed to the ceasefire.

sourc3: http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=48770&Cat=7&dt=5/24/2011

Tribal clashes kill five more in Kurram

PARACHINAR: Clashes between two tribal groups entered their third day in Lower Kurram Agency as five more people were killed and 13 injured in fresh fighting in parts of the agency, official sources said Monday. The tribal groups of Khwar Kalay and Balishkhel villages in Sadda tehsil opened fire on each other with automatic weapons that resulted in the death of five people. The clashes between the two groups erupted on Saturday over a land and water dispute. Residents of these villages have started migrating to safer places. On Sunday, nine persons were killed and several others injured, as the death toll of three days of fighting has mounted to 15. The situation in Balishkhel, Khwar Kalay, Shalozan, Bughdai and Luqmankhel is still tense, and the tribal people have demanded the government to take cogent measures to restore peace. app

Monday, May 23, 2011

Tribal violence: 8 dead in Kurram Agency clashes

By Manzoor Ali

Published: May 23, 2011

Fighting caused by dispute over installation of electricity pylons but conflagrated into sectarian violence.

PESHAWAR:

At least eight people were killed and 12 others were injured in clashes between two tribes in Kurram Agency late on Saturday, local sources said.

Sources told The Express Tribune that the clashes occurred in parts of Sadda sub-district in Lower Kurram Agency. Both parties, they said, were heavily armed.

"Fighting is going on between residents of Pewar Killay and Teri Mangal areas and on late Saturday, at least eight people were killed and 12 others injured. Warring tribes attacked each other's positions but it is not clear which tribe has suffered how many casualties," sources said.

According to sources, the fighting started following a dispute over installation of electricity pylons in the area and soon conflagrated into sectarian fighting.

Sources said that the fighting stopped later on Sunday but there were no reports of a ceasefire between the warring parties.

Kurram's population of 500,000 has a Shia majority, according to official statistics. Since 2007, things have been particularly grim, notes UN's information arm IRIN. That year, the main road linking Parachinar on the Pakistan-Afghan border to Peshawar was closed due to militant activity, resulting in acute shortages of essential items in Parachinar, according to observers such as the autonomous Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

A peace deal was reached between warring Shia and Sunni tribes in Kurram Agency in February 2011. The deal was brokered by security forces and guaranteed by members of the Haqqani network – a branch of the Afghan Taliban, allegedly based in Pakistan. But barely a month later, a convoy was ambushed by gunmen who killed eight people and kidnapped 15 others. All those attacked were Shia.

Sunni tribes have also come under attack, but loss of life has not been reported. In April 2011, unidentified gunmen kidnapped at least 10 schoolchildren from the Bagan area of the Lower Kurram Agency. The kidnapped children were said to be from Sunni families.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2011.

source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/174124/tribal-violence-8-dead-in-kurram-agency-clashes/

8 killed in Kurram clashes

Our correspondent
Monday, May 23, 2011

SADDA: At least eight persons were killed and 17 others sustained injuries in clashes between armed groups of Turi and Bangash tribes in Balishkhel village of troubled Kurram Agency on Sunday, tribal sources said.

The sources said that both sides used heavy weapons during the clashes that erupted on Saturday and were continuing unabated.

The sources said that eight persons from both sides were killed and 17 others sustained injuries in the clashes that quickly turned into a sectarian strife.

Some of the dead were identified as Delawar Hussain, Ishaq Hussain, Syed Mujahid Hussain and Kausar Ali who belonged to the Turi and Bangash tribes.

The security forces had warned the armed groups to vacate their trenches by 2 p.m. on Sunday, otherwise action would be taken against them, the sources added.

The sources said the security forces entered the area and launched action against the groups but there was no report about any casualty yet.

Meanwhile, addressing a news conference at the Sadda Press Club, the elders of six tribes including Malik Hassan Jan, Malik Fazal Qadir, Haji Shahu Khan and Abdul Karim alleged that the rival group opened fire on them when they, along with political administration officials, were busy in abandoning their positions and vacating the trenches. Also the villagers started shifting their families to safer places from Balishkhel village after the clashes.

source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=48551&Cat=7&dt=5/23/2011

PARACHINAR (INP) - At least nine persons were killed and several others injured in an armed clash between two rival tribes in Lower Kurram Agency on Sunday morning.
Sources said that Balishkhel and Kharklay tribes residing in Lower Kurram had been exchanging firing for the past three days but on Sunday it took an ugly turn when both sides exchanged indiscriminate fire. The clashes erupted as slain police sub-inspector Raza Hussain was being buried in Balishkhel. Rockets were fired at the graveyard.
from Kharklay which triggered the fire exchange.
During the fire duel, both sides used heavy and automatic weapons against each other and at least nine people belonging to both groups were killed while several others sustained wounds.

source: http://nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/23-May-2011/Kurram-clash-leaves-9-dead

Nine killed in tribal clash in Kurram

PARACHINAR: Nine people were killed and several others were injured during renewed clashes between tribes in Balishkhel and Khwarclay in Lower Kurram Agency, official sources said on Sunday. The conflict between the tribes in Balishkhel and Khwarclay started in the morning when both sides opened fire on each other. As a result, nine people were killed and several others were injured. Separaretly, the situation in Shalozan, Bughdai and Luqmankhel in Upper Kurram Agency was also tense after rockets attack near the Pak-Afghan border. The Khasadar Force has beefed up security and started patrolling these areas. app

SOURCE: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C05%5C23%5Cstory_23-5-2011_pg7_11

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SOURCE: http://nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/22-May-2011/Nine-killed-in-rival-tribes-clash-in-Lower-Kurram-Agency

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Nine killed in rival tribes clash in Lower Kurram Agency

Submitted 4 hrs 50 mins ago

At least nine persons were killed and several others injured during an armed clash between two rival tribes in Lower Kurram Agency on Sunday morning.
Sources said that Balishkhel and Kharklay tribes residing in Lower Kurram agency who were in old rivalry had been exchanging firing for the past three days but on Sunday morning it took the deadly turn when both sides exchanged indiscriminate fire.
The latest clashes erupted after slain police sub-inspector Raza Hussain was being buried in Balishkhel. Rockets were fired at the graveyard from Kharklay which initiated fire exchange.
During deadly fire exchange both sides used heavy and automatic weapons against each other and at least nine people belonging to both groups were killed while several others sustained wounds.
The injured men were shifted to hospitals in Sadda tehsil and Agency Headquarters Parachinar and sources said that condition of several wounded persons was serious.

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One killed, eight injured in fresh Kurram clashes

Dawn Report | From the Newspaper

PARACHINAR/LADDHA, May 21: One person was killed and eight others were injured in exchange of fire between rival tribes in different areas of the troubled Kurram Agency.

Separately, two suspected militants were killed in a remote controlled blast at Teyarza area of South Waziristan tribal region on Saturday.

The clashes in Kurram broke out between the residents of Sadda and Balishkhel areas when a funeral ceremony was attacked on Friday. The residents of the area said that one person identified as Saqleen was killed and six others got injuries in the attack.

The residents of Balishkhel retaliated with heavy weapons. Local people said that militants, who had relocated to Kurram from Waziristan and other militancy-hit areas, were behind the clashes.

Reports said that tension mounted in upper Kurram after rockets were fired at Shalozan, Bughdai and Luqmankhel areas near the Afghan border. Two persons including a minor girl were injured in the rocket attack, which sparked clashes among the rival tribes.

Political administration said that ceasefire was brokered between the residents of Balishkhel and Sadda in lower Kurram on Saturday evening and rival groups had vacated their positions.

Corps Commander Lt-Gen Asif Yaseen Malik had told a joint jirga in Parachinar on Thursday that a military operation would be launched in the area. The tribal elders had welcomed the announcement and assured full support to army in this regard.

The residents of the areas said that outsiders and their local supporters planned the attack on the funeral as they wanted to divert attention of government. Supply of goods to the area has been suspended after fresh clashes and tension in the area.

Two suspected militants were killed in remote controlled blast at Teyarza area of South Waziristan tribal region on Saturday.

Security sources said that two suspected persons were planting a remote controlled along the Wana-Teyarza Road near Manzakai area when the bomb exploded prematurely.

"As a result the suspected persons identified as Ikhlas and Ghaniur Reham of Masud tribe were killed on the spot," they said.

Security officials said the two men, having links with Taliban, were involved in sabotage activities. They were planting explosive to target the security convoys passing through the road, they said.

The Wana-Razamak Road is in the control of security forces and frequent movement of army convoys could be seen on it. The road has badly affected on various points by the last year`s flash floods and lukewarm attitude of the government to repair it due to militancy in the region.

The census staff, who recently visited various areas by travelling via this road, said that except military vehicles no other vehicles could be able to ply on the road due to its dilapidated condition.

SOURCE: http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/22/one-killed-eight-injured-in-fresh-kurram-clashes.html

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One killed as militants storm Kurram village

Sunday, May 22, 2011

PARACHINAR: One person was killed and eight others were injured when the militants attacked the Balishkhel village in lower Kurram Agency with sophisticated weapons on Saturday.

The militants have intensified their activities in Kurram tribal region after the announcement of the Corps Commander Peshawar to carry out military operation to purge the area of insurgents and anti-state elements.

Addressing a tribal jirga in Parachinar recently, Corps Commander Lt Gen Asif Yasin had vowed to purge the area of militants and restore peace in Kurram Agency.

The sources said the militants stormed the Balishkhel village early in the day. They said a student Saqlain was killed and six other sustained injuries in the attack.

The sources said the clash between the militants and the villagers was continuing. Meanwhile, two persons including a minor were injured when the militants fired rockets in the Shalozan, Baghdi and Luqmankhel villages in upper Kurram Agency.

SOURCE: http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=48405&Cat=7&dt=5/22/2011

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