Pakistan: Death toll in Kurram firing rises to 45

Kurram: The death toll in a deadly gun attack on passenger vehicles in Pakistan's Kurram has increased to 45, as reported by ARY News.

The spokesperson of DPO Kurram said that the Deputy Commissioner and DPO reached the spot of the incident. The SHO Yar Muhammad said the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, as per ARY News.

ARY News stated that over 37 injured are currently under treatment in several hospitals of the district whereas the dead bodies have been moved to Parachinar for funeral.

A journalist, Janan Hussain the General Secretary of the Parachinar Press Club, was returning from Malaysia to his hometown of Parachinar when the convoy he was travelling came under heavy fire.

Janan Hussain had just returned from Malaysia and was on his way to Parachinar when the attack occurred. He was with other passengers when the shooting began.

In a post on X, journalist Hamid Mir stated, "Another journalist Janan Hussain killed in Kurram yesterday along with 42 others. He was coming back from Malaysia and was going home to Parachinar. My condolences to his family and friends. 10 journalists have been killed in Pakistan this year 2024."

According to district police and hospital officials, among the deceased were security personnel, women, and children.

As reported by the Dawn, Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsood has warned that the death toll may rise as more bodies are recovered. The convoy, consisting of approximately 200 vehicles, was travelling from Parachinar to Peshawar when it was ambushed by gunmen.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the massacre in a district of Pakistan known for ongoing sectarian violence between heavily armed Shiite and Sunni Muslim tribes, as reported by the Dawn.

Authorities in Kurram attribute the recent outbreak of violence to a land dispute, which has fueled weeks of armed clashes and resulted in the deaths of over 100 people between August and October.

The Toori tribe announced a three-day mourning in honour of those who died in the attack, as per ARY News.