Deadly Attack on Passenger Convoy in Kurram District Leaves 42 Dead and Dozens Injured

Kurram (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) – A deadly attack on a convoy of passenger vehicles in Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has left at least 42 people dead, including women, and over 19 others injured. The incident occurred in the Lower Kurram region, specifically in the Mandori area, where vehicles traveling from Peshawar to Parachinar came under fire.
According to local police, the convoy was under the protection of law enforcement officers when the attack occurred. One of the security personnel guarding the convoy told BBC Urdu that “we were five or six officers, and we couldn’t determine from where the firing was coming.” The attack was launched from three different areas, with firing continuing over a span of 14 kilometers, targeting the convoy in Mandori, Bhagan, and Ochat areas.
Eyewitness Nasir Khan described the scene, saying, “Every time the convoy escaped one attack and entered another area, the firing would start again. This continued across three different areas.”
Before the convoy left, a woman had expressed concern to security forces about the large number of vehicles and the insufficient security detail. The officer reassured her, saying, “Don’t worry, everything will be fine once you’re inside the vehicle.”
Saeeda Bano, one of the survivors, recalled the terrifying moments during the attack: “There was firing from all directions. I pushed my children under the seat. The vehicles in the middle of the convoy were less affected, but those at the front and back were heavily damaged. When the shooting stopped, there were bodies and the wounded everywhere.”
Shahien Gul, a local resident of Ochat, recounted that he arrived at the scene shortly after the attack and helped transport the victims to the nearby Mandori hospital. He also confirmed that the attackers had emerged from the hills to ambush the convoy. Ochat is situated between Parachinar and Talli, with Talli being about 24 kilometers away and Parachinar approximately 75 kilometers away.
In the past, security forces used to accompany passenger vehicles, but according to Shahien Gul, now, police officers are only stationed on the roadside for duty. “Previously, police or security force vehicles would travel with the convoy,” he said.
The spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, Barrister Saif, expressed his sorrow over the incident, confirming that the attackers initially targeted police personnel and then shifted focus to the civilian passengers, firing from both sides of the convoy. According to Barrister Saif, the convoy consisted of around 200 vehicles.
The attack has sent shockwaves through the region, highlighting ongoing security concerns in Kurram, a volatile area of the tribal districts. Authorities have vowed to investigate the incident and strengthen security measures in the region.