Peshawar: One soldier was martyred and four others were injured when miscreants attacked a convoy of vehicles carrying food and medical supplies to Parachinar on Thursday, security officials confirmed.
Hangu Assistant Commissioner (AC) Saeed Manan told the media that a convoy of 35 vehicles had left Thal and was going to Parachinar when it came under fire.
“The administration is working to bring the situation under control in Bagan after the attack,” said AC Manan.
Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner Shaukat Ali said: “One soldier was martyred and four injured in the attack. Three vehicles in the convoy were damaged.
“Action was also taken against the terrorists of the attack. In the retaliatory action, 6 terrorists were killed and 10 were injured.
Former Federal Minister Sajid Tori from Karam said that small and big weapons were used in the attack.
Senior police official Sahib Gul confirmed to AFP that 21 trucks had retreated from the area after the attack, while others were stranded.
Moreover, heavy firing broke out at two other locations after the incident and is still going on, Gill said, adding that some trucks “caught fire” as a result of the ambush.
Karam Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ashfaq Khan told AFP that “firing is going on” outside Thal.
A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had said that the situation in Karam was “returning to normal” as 25 vehicles of another convoy carrying essential supplies reached the district.
On Monday, KP Chief Minister’s Adviser on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said demolition of bunkers in Karam district has started as part of the peace accord.
Clashes over decades-old land disputes have killed at least 130 people since November, with weeks of road closures and reported shortages of food and medicine. A peace accord was signed on January 1, but the road connecting Parachinar remained closed. On 4 January, a government convoy was attacked near Baghan, in which the deputy commissioner of Karam was injured and the convoy was trapped.
Eight illegal bunkers were destroyed in Kurram as part of the peace accord.
On the other hand, eight illegal bunkers have been demolished so far in Karam as their demolition continues under the peace agreement reached between the warring factions.
Bunkers have been demolished in Balash Khel and Khar Kali areas.
Locals, on the other hand, say that road closures have led to shortages of food items, causing their prices to skyrocket.
The local administration says that as soon as the roads are clear, a large consignment of food items will be sent to Kuram.
It added that the process of forming a Special Protection Force has been initiated to secure the road connecting Thal to Parachinar.
The administration has informed that the recruitment for this purpose will be completed by the end of January.
