Hundreds of families left Lower Kurram with another possible operation by security forces expected to take place in the next few days.

According to the district administration, residents were given till March 19 to leave their homes.

As a result of the ultimatum, 178 families from Bagan, Dad Qamar, Char Khel and Mandori Ochat left their homes.

Camps have been set up for the families in Hangu. However, some families have gone towards Kohat, Doaba, Peshawar and other areas of the province as well.

The decision to undertake the operation was taken due to persisting incidents of terrorism in the area.

Last year, an armed conflict had broken out between Sunni and Shia tribes in Kurram. The conflict took hundreds of lives before the government managed to broker peace through a grand jirga.

While peace has intermittently returned to the region and aid has continued to flow into the district at intervals, the situation is still not fully stable.

On January 4, Deputy Commissioner Javaidullah Mehsud was injured in an attack by armed men as he undertook a tour of the region. Later on January 17, an aid convoy headed to the district was attacked and looted as well. Such incidents of vioilence have continued to occur in the region.

Even after 172 days of clashes, the government has still not managed to open the Thall-Parachinar Highway for traffic. With the only major highway leading to the district still closed, Kurram is effectively cut off from the entire country.

However, the government is continuing to proceed against militants in the area. A total of 672 bunkers have been demolished in Kurram so far including 407 in Upper Kurram and 265 in Lower Kurram.