Sectarian battles continue in northwest Pakistan, ignited by a land dispute about a week ago, resulting in the death of 48 people and injuries to over 200 others. The situation in the region is catastrophic, with shells and rockets being fired from all sides, hitting homes and public facilities. The tribal dispute currently involves all areas of Kurram tribal district, and residents of neighboring regions in the northwest province have taken to the main streets in an attempt to prevent vehicles from passing on the roads. Tribal leadership managed to get both warring parties to agree to a ceasefire on Sunday evening, but violent clashes resumed overnight, and there are currently no expectations of a ceasefire.
The conflict has extended to neighboring areas, where dozens of tribesmen in the Hangu area took to the main streets in support of the Sunni tribes, starting to block vehicles passing through for members of the Shia minority entering Kurram district, as the main road to Kurram passes through Hangu. Moreover, hundreds of youths, religious scholars, and tribal leaders took to the streets in the Kohat area near Peshawar, holding meetings in support of the Sunni tribes. They also accused the Iranian government of supporting the Shia tribes and supplying them with weapons, asserting, "We will not leave the Sunni people alone and will support them by all means."
The conflict arose from a land dispute over a piece of land located in the Pishar area of Kurram district, covering approximately 30 acres, which is contested by the villages of Madki and Glab. A tribal meeting was held last Wednesday to resolve the issue, and during the meeting, gunfire erupted from one side, although no one was injured, but the situation escalated later. The tribal dispute has involved all factions in the area, some Sunni and others Shia. Intense clashes between Sunnis and Shias have erupted throughout Kurram district, including Pishar, Mili Khel, Dandraw, Balsh Khel, Sada, which is the district center, Kong Alizi, Maqbal, Bawar, and Tarmangol. The Turi tribe, located in Tarmangol, represents the strongest Shia faction, whereas the Sunni tribes are numerous, with notable tribes such as Bangash and Maqbal.
The land dispute between both parties has been ongoing since 2007, resulting in repeated violent confrontations where dozens have been killed on both sides in bloody conflicts, despite an agreement in 2008 to resolve the issue through dialogue. However, this agreement proved ineffective. Each time tribal leadership manages to initiate a ceasefire, they fail to resolve the matter due to its complexity and other alien tribal and ideological factors involved.
It is worth noting that Kurram tribal district, home to both Sunni and Shia communities, has experienced sectarian warfare over the past decades. The Turi Shia tribes held significant political, tribal, and military power in the region, but following the emergence of the Taliban in Afghanistan and later in Pakistan, the strength of Shia tribes began to decline, while the power of Sunni tribes increased in contrast.
