Aid arrives in Parachinar by air ambulance after skirmishes

Tuesday saw the arrival of aid planes in Parachinar, in the Kurram area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where fighting has left hundreds stranded and killed at least 130 people since last month.

The Kurram tribal district has seen weeks of intense firefights and arson, with numerous people displaced and scores injured. Following an attack on a truck on November 21 that left at least 43 people dead, the skirmishes began.

In sections of the Afghan-bordering Kurram region, residents have complained of food and medication shortages as the government tries to resolve a rekindled tribal conflict resulting from long-standing conflicts over farmland.

The chairman of the Edhi Foundation and the son of renowned philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, Faisal Edhi, arrived in Parachinar today with his team to evaluate the problems encountered by locals impacted by the recent unrest.

“I have personally come to evaluate the difficulties of the people affected by the unrest and to ensure support reaches those in need,” Faisal told reporters after arriving via Edhi Air Ambulance.
He added that the Edhi Air Ambulance would be essential in transporting medical supplies from Peshawar to Parachinar, reopening routes that have been closed for security reasons, resulting in a scarcity of food and medication.

The air ambulance would also take patients from Parachinar to Peshawar for additional medical treatment, Faisal added.

Faisal went to the nearby hospital to supervise operations and plan relief efforts as soon as he arrived at the Parachinar airport.

Depending on the weather, they will operate multiple flights daily from Peshawar to Parachinar for the remainder of the week, Sher Gul, the local head of Edhi, told AFP.

“We intend to deliver medications for the injured and bring about three wounded back on each flight,” he stated.

Since the most recent round of violence started, several truces have been declared while elders from both sides try to reach a long-term deal.

To try to stop the violence, the administration has closed important roadways leading into and out of the district. In the region, there are also disruptions to internet and mobile services.
Since November 21, AFP reports that at least 133 people have been killed and 177 injured in intermittent skirmishes. According to the Pakistani Human Rights Commission, 79 people were slain in the area between July and October.

Kurram, which was a part of the semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas until it was integrated with KP in 2018, has frequently seen police battle to manage violence.

Land issues in the untamed mountainous area typically reignite the feuding, which is fueled by underlying tensions between the warring clans.