82 killed in 3 days in Pakistan’s Kurram: How Sunni vs Shia clashes have left a bloody trail

The district of Kurram in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is known for its scenic beauty, which includes snow-capped mountains, orchards, and groves. However, in the past few days, it has become synonymous with sectarian violence with Shia and Sunni tribes clashing, resulting in numerous deaths.

Now, an unease pervades the air in Kurram after officials announced a seven-day truce between the Sunni and Shia tribes.

We explain the reason behind the unrest in Kurram that has led to about 150 deaths over the past months.

What’s happening in Kurram now?

On Sunday (November 24), Pakistani officials announced a seven-day truce between rival sectarian groups — the Sunnis and Shias — after days of clashes killed dozens of people in the northwest of the country.

The ceasefire comes after fresh clashes broke out last Thursday (November 21) when gunmen attacked civilian convoys, killing at least 40 people, who mainly were Shia Muslims. According to reports, among those killed were women and children. Those who survived the attack said the gunmen emerged from a vehicle and fired indiscriminately. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack and police have not identified a motive.

Then, in retaliation, on Friday (November 22), Shia Muslims attacked several Sunni locations on Friday evening. Rehan Muhammad, a 33-year-old journalist told The Guardian, “Gunfire suddenly erupted on Friday after sunset … I realised it was an attack in retaliation for [Thursday’s] incident and immediately grabbed my children, despite the bitter cold, and told my family to flee our home towards the mountains on foot.”

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According to residents of Kurram, the attacks have destroyed shops and homes. One senior official said that the attacks had resulted in at least 317 shops and more than 200 homes being wrecked.

Another official was quoted as telling AFP that the clashes and convoy attacks on November 21, 22 and 23 have resulted in “82 fatalities and 156 injuries”.

The clashes across the three days also resulted in protests across Parachinar and surrounding areas in Kurram. Protesters criticised the government’s failure to protect civilians.

Many people in Kurram believe that the November 21 convoy attack was revenge for an earlier October attack, which claimed the lives of at least 15 people. In fact, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, at least 79 people were killed between July and October in sectarian violence.

The violence in the region has also resulted in an exodus — around 300 families fled on Saturday fearing for their lives. One resident of a Sunni village told the BBC that he had forced his family to flee. “We’ve been hearing gunfire all night. I sent the women and children of my family to hide in the mountains," the man said.

“You see how cold the weather is now. But I have no other option. Everyone else here is doing the same,” he added.

Why the Shia-Sunni enmity in Kurram?

But what lies at the heart of this recurring violence between the Shias and Sunnis?

Most of Kurram’s population of 7.85 lakh people is a mix of Pashtuns belonging to the Turi, Bangash, Zaimusht, Mangal, Muqbal, Masuzai, and Parachamkani tribes. The Turi and some Bangash are Shia, the rest are Sunni.

Pakistani data reveals that Shias make up around 45 per cent of the district population, which is more than thrice their 10-15 per cent share in Pakistan’s population as a whole.

This demographic composition has led to tribal rivalries. Moreover, the tribes compete for the resources in the region, which is not inherently blessed with abundance. For instance, the Shia Turi tribe held dominant power in Lower Kurram, settling there in the early 18th century. Over time, as the Turi lost grazing lands to the Sunni Bangash and Zaimusht tribes, resource-based conflicts arose.

Experts also note that there’s deep-seated resentment between the two tribes that dates back to when the British controlled the northwest frontier region. The British favoured one tribe over another resulting in enmity and dislike between the tribes.

Earlier in the year, the two groups — Shias and Sunnis — also clashed over a l and dispute. Despite appointing a land commission to resolve the land dispute, the Pakistani government has yet to release its findings on the same.

Some experts also note the Pakistani government’s handling of the issue has been inconsistent with the security personnel being unable to address the root causes of sectarianism, political marginalisation and underdevelopment.

Mohsin Dawar, a former parliamentarian from North Waziristan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was quoted as telling Al Jazeera, “I doubt whether the authorities are genuinely intent on resolving the issue.

“Killings beget killings, leading to tribes seeking revenge, and the chain of violence continues. It looks like it is state policy to keep the entire area in chaos,” he said.

The resurgence of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is a Sunni Islamist militant organisation, has also contributed to the enmity between the two. They have made Kurram their base, attacking Shias in multiple attacks.

Allama Ahmed Iqbal Rizvi, a Shia leader, said various militant groups, such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the local branch of ISIS; the so-called Islamic State Khorasan Province, or ISIS-K — have been targeting the Shia population in Kurram for a long time, according to the New York Times.

Will the Sunni-Shia violence in Kurram end?

On Sunday, an uneasy peace was brokered between the two warring tribal groups. “Both sides have agreed to a week-long ceasefire which is expected to be extended,” Muhammad Ali Saif, a member of the mediation team, told Reuters by phone, adding that major clashes had already stopped.

Saif, who is also the information minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said both sides had also agreed to exchange prisoners, including women, and the bodies of those killed in the clashes.

Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, the police chief of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also added that the Shi’ite leaders were demanding the immediate arrest of those involved in attacking passenger vehicles, as well as compensation for the victims and safety assurances for travellers.

However, some are sceptical of the ceasefire bringing an end to the violence. Jamil Kazmi, a retired academic based in Kurram, was quoted by Al Jazeera as saying, “Are the authorities, including the military, as well as the religious leaders from both Sunnis and Shias willing to take ownership of the sectarian problem?”

The situation in Kurram is like a “pressure cooker waiting to explode”.

With inputs from agencies