Military operation launched in Pakistan's sectarian violence-hit northwest

Security forces in Pakistan have launched a military operation in Bagan, a volatile region near the Afghanistan border, following a series of attacks on aid convoys. The operation in Kurram district, an area long troubled by sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslims, has forced residents to flee their homes for safer locations as artillery fire and bombing continue.

Smoke and fire seen rising from the area where convoy was attacked in Bagan, Kurram district. Local source

Abdul Qasim, Station House Officer (SHO) of Shama Police Station in Bagan, confirmed to Nuktathat authorities have launched an intelligence-based search operation in targeted areas of Bagan. "The operation involves joint forces from the army, Frontier Corps (FC), and police," he added.

Police officials stated that residents of Lower Kurram residing in areas of Bagan, Mandori, Uchar, Charkhel, and Chapri Paraw were given advance notice through public announcements to evacuate the area before the operation began.

"The security forces' operation in Bagan is ongoing, and no specific end date has been established," the officials said.

Shaheen Gul, a resident of Bagan who witnessed the events, told Nukta that artillery shelling and bombing continue from the Alizai side. "The operation's intensity has forced most of Bagan's population to flee the area, with at least three people reported injured," he added.

Attacks prompted operation

On January 17, the government announced it would launch a military operation in Lower Kurram following a deadly attack the previous day on a 35-vehicle convoy carrying essential food supplies to Parachinar. The attack resulted in eight deaths and nine injuries.

Security convoy of injured Kurram Deputy Commissioner is stationed outside Tehsil Alizai Hospital on January 4, 2025. Nukta

This was the second attack on aid convoys heading to the district, which has been cut off from the rest of the country for more than 100 days due to the closure of its only highway.

On January 4, attackers targeted a 75-truck convoy carrying food, medicine, and other supplies, injuring seven people, including the local deputy commissioner.

Residents migrated to safe areas

According to a notification from the Deputy Commissioner's Office in Kurram, the military operation will displace 1,879 families—approximately 17,625 people—who will be classified as temporarily displaced persons (TDPs).

These families will be relocated to four designated sites in Hangu district: Government Boys Degree College, Government Technical College, the Rescue 1122 compound, and the Judicial Building.

Shaheen Gul, who has relocated with his family to a relative's house in the nearby area of Toda Cheena, said the security forces' artillery operation is visible from the mountains of Toda Cheena. "Many people had already moved to different cities after their homes were destroyed in the November 22 attack. The remaining residents are now seeking shelter with relatives," he said.

Karim Orakzai, a signatory of the peace agreement and local elder from Bagan, condemned the operation, claiming that more than 500 homes in Bagan had been destroyed without any government compensation for the victims. "The operation in Bagan is forcing all remaining residents to flee, which is a deeply unfortunate situation," he said.

Gohar Zaman, Deputy Commissioner of Hangu, told Nukta that the Kurram district administration had designated four sites to provide temporary relief to TDPs for one or two days. "We have also established an additional campsite, Muhammad Khawaja Camp, which is fully equipped with all necessary facilities. However, no residents from Bagan have arrived at the site yet," he confirmed.

According to Naik Muhammad, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Relief, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority has dispatched 500 tents, 1,000 blankets, and 1,000 plastic mats for temporarily displaced persons from Kurram. "The supplies being sent to Hangu also include 500 hygiene kits, 500 solar lamps, and 500 kitchen sets," he said.

KP government on operation

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson confirmed that during a high-level meeting attended by the Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police, officials decided to take strict and indiscriminate action against militants in Kurram. "The state supports peaceful citizens and will ensure that those responsible for the unrest are held accountable," the spokesperson added.

IGP KP Akhtar Hayat Gandapur and DC Kurram Ashfaq Khan attending an online meeting regarding operation in Bagan.KP Government

The spokesperson added that the peace agreement would be implemented in accordance with law and Pashtun traditions. "The government suspects that some militants may have infiltrated peaceful communities. To protect law-abiding citizens, these individuals will be identified and separated. Alternative accommodation has been arranged for the affected population," the spokesperson said.

Crisis timeline

Strategically positioned on the Afghanistan border, Kurram district has been a center of sectarian conflict. The current crisis began in November 2024 when attackers killed 43 people in a convoy, triggering violence that claimed over 150 lives and closed the district's main highway.

People mourn over the graves of relatives who were killed after gunmen opened fire on passenger vehicles in the Kurram tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Shalozan, Pakistan November 22, 2024. Reuters

By December, the blockade had caused severe shortages in Parachinar, with 31 reported child deaths from medicine shortages. After widespread protests, the Kurram Grand Jirga brokered a peace agreement on January 1, 2025, though some parties refused to sign the 14-point accord.

Tensions escalated rapidly in January. After an attack on former Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud's convoy on January 4, the first aid convoy finally reached Parachinar on January 8. However, Kurram traders launched a district-wide strike on January 13, while Bagan residents maintained their blockade demanding compensation.

The situation deteriorated further on January 17 when attackers killed eight people in an aid convoy ambush in Bagan, prompting Parachinar's religious leaders to declare the peace agreement void.

In response, the provincial government announced a military operation in Lower Kurram on January 18, requiring over 17,000 residents from five areas to relocate to facilities in Hangu district.