• Evacuation notices issued for Ochit, Manduri, Dad Kumar, and Bagan.
• Six families from Lower Kurram relocated to Hangu on Tuesday.
• Officials to conduct search operation once villages are vacated.
  

PARACHINAR: Authorities have issued evacuation notices for residents of four villages in Lower Kurram due to escalating security concerns in the region. 

The district administration on Wednesday announced the evacuation for Ochit, Manduri, Dad Kumar, and Bagan, emphasising the need to protect residents’ lives and property.

In a related effort, six families from Lower Kurram were relocated to Hangu on Tuesday, temporarily staying with relatives as tensions rise. Officials indicated that once the villages are vacated, search operations will commence in the area to enhance security.

This development comes amid a troubling increase in violence in the region, with law enforcement agencies reporting multiple attacks on vehicles and convoys.

Kurram has been wracked by violence for decades, but over 150 people have been killed in a fresh round of fighting which started in November last year when two separate convoys travelling under police escort were ambushed, leaving 40 people dead.

Prolonged road closures and the complete suspension of movement to and from Kurram due to the unrest had cut the district off from the outside world, leading to a severe shortage of food and medicine, which reportedly resulted in additional deaths.

The conflicting parties finally agreed to a ceasefire under a government and military-brokered peace pact, which mandates the surrender of all weapons and the removal of bunkers in accordance with the KP apex committee’s orders.

However, despite the peace agreement, there have been repeated attacks on convoys and vehicles, including a targeted attack on Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud and Assistant Commissioner Saeed Manan Boshehra.

Earlier this week, a convoy was ambushed, resulting in the deaths of five security personnel and four drivers, while 20 others, including five security officers and five drivers, sustained injuries.

Additionally, 36 trucks were looted, and 19 were set on fire during the attack, according to the police.

Last month, terrorists ambushed a convoy of 35 vehicles set to resupply local traders in the restive territory with rice, flour, cooking oil and essential medicine, which claimed the lives of at least 8 people, including security personnel, drivers and civilians. Retaliatory action by security forces resulted in the killing of six assailants.

Authorities are now intensifying security measures to curb further violence in the troubled region.

Terrorists arrested

Security forces arrested 10 alleged terrorists involved in the attack on a convoy in Kurram tribal district, police officials said on Wednesday.

According to the police, the arrests were made during operations conducted in various areas of Kurram. The detained terrorists were shifted to an undisclosed location for further investigation.

The suspects were allegedly involved in the February 17 attack on the convoy. 

Law-enforcement agencies continued their search for more militants linked to the incident.

Meanwhile, an official communique said Commissioner Kohat Division Syed Motasim Billah Shah along-with the Deputy Inspector General of Police Kohat Abbas Majeed Marwat, had reached to the spot soon after the attack on the convoy and engaged in evacuating the convoy safely with the officers and jawans of the law enforcement agencies.

It said that an exchange of firing continued between the miscreants and the security personnel.

All 63 drivers were safely evacuated. During this action, four law enforcement Jawans were martyred while fighting bravely, while four security personnel including an officer were also injured.