An aid convoy carrying food and medicine to Kurram was attacked by armed assailants near Bagan on Monday. Reports emerged that the trucks were stopped and looted. However, the police has stated that the convoy is ‘fully safe’.

Over 100 trucks set off from Thall in Hangu to Parachinar in Kurram. However, reports soon emerged that the vehicles were fired upon near Bagan. Reports also emerged that the trucks had been looted. Local sources said that attackers were shelled from a helicopter in reply.

However, a statement from the police denied any looting. Police said that the convoy and all the people in it were safe and an operation against miscreants is underway.

However, traders expressed their dismay over the situation, adding that it was concerning that convoys were being attacked over and over again in the same place despite a large number of security officials being deployed.

A convoy of over 100 vehicles carrying food and other essential items is set to depart for Parachinar from Thall, government sources had said earlier in the day.

Authorities had said that this would be the first convoy of supplies to depart for Kurram in over a week. In addition to food, the convoy of trucks will also carry direly needed medicines for the district.

Meanwhile, a government operation to demolish bunkers in Kurram is still underway. The government is also taking steps to make sure that traffic keeps flowing without any mishap on the Thall-Parachinar highway.

The government is also operating a helicopter service to drop medicine into the area.

Kurram has been cut off from the rest of the country for four months due to an armed conflict between Shia and Sunni tribes beginning late last year that left over a hundred people dead and several injured.

The government managed to broker a peace through a jirga in early January. However, the fragile peace was broken multiple times including an attack on the Kurram district commissioner and an ambush of an aid convoy in January. The government then responded with an operation to confiscate weapons and demolish bunkers in the area. Since then, the peace has largely held. However, the progress of much needed aid is still slow, causing continuous issues for residents.