Thu Nov 21 12:53:29 UTC 2024: ## Massacre in Pakistan: 38 Shia Muslims Killed in Kurram Attack
**PESHAWAR, Pakistan –** At least 38 Shia Muslims were killed and 20 wounded in a brutal attack in Pakistan’s Kurram district on Thursday, November 21st, 2024. Gunmen opened fire on a convoy of passenger vehicles traveling from Parachinar to Peshawar, targeting Shia passengers. Six women are among the dead, with at least ten victims listed in critical condition. The attack, one of the deadliest sectarian attacks in the region in recent years, highlights the ongoing tensions between Sunni and Shia communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Police official Azmat Ali reported that the attackers specifically targeted the Shia passengers. Local Shia leader Baqir Haideri denounced the assault, stating that the terrorists identified their victims before opening fire and warned that the death toll may rise. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the massacre.
The attack occurred just a week after authorities reopened a key highway in the region following weeks of closure due to deadly clashes between Sunni and Shia groups. Earlier this year, nearly 50 people died in Kurram during clashes stemming from a land dispute.
President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, expressing condolences to the victims’ families and ordering authorities to apprehend the perpetrators. Pakistan continues to conduct intelligence-based operations against militants and separatists in the northwest and southwest, but sectarian violence remains a significant challenge. Shia Muslims constitute approximately 15% of Pakistan’s population, and while largely peaceful coexistence is common, historical tensions persist in certain areas like Kurram.
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