Militants ambushed a convoy of trucks delivering humanitarian aid in northwestern Pakistan on Monday, killing a driver and a security official, authorities confirmed.
The attack occurred in Kurram, a conflict-ridden district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where sectarian clashes between Shiite and Sunni tribes have claimed at least 130 lives in recent months. The aid trucks were carrying food, medicine, and other supplies for thousands of residents affected by the ongoing violence.
According to police, the convoy was en route to Parachinar, the district’s main city, when the attackers struck.
Dr. Qaiser Abbas, a physician at a local hospital, reported that in addition to the two fatalities, 15 people were wounded. Several aid trucks were also looted and set ablaze during the assault.
Local officials announced that police and security forces had launched an operation to track down the perpetrators. No group has claimed responsibility, but such attacks are common in the region, where militants frequently target convoys and security personnel.
This marks the third attack on an aid convoy in Kurram since January, further complicating efforts to deliver relief to the conflict-stricken region.
Beyond Kurram, militant activity has surged across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in the bordering regions of North and South Waziristan. Pakistani security forces often conduct raids on suspected militant hideouts in response to attacks.
Over the weekend, military operations in Dera Ismail Khan and North Waziristan left four soldiers and 15 militants dead, according to Pakistan’s military.
The slain militants were identified as members of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an insurgent group allied with the Afghan Taliban. While distinct from its Afghan counterpart, the TTP has gained strength since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2022.
Authorities say the recent violence underscores the growing security threat in Pakistan’s tribal areas, where sectarian and militant attacks continue to destabilize the region.
