City of Kurram in Pakistan Creates a Blockade Against Taliban

Kurram, an anti Taliban tribe in the northern part of Pakistan has set up a blockade against Taliban militants. They believe this blockade is causing strife between their Turi people and the Pakistani government. Kurram is strategically positioned within Pakistan and its decision to block the Taliban from moving freely between Pakistan to Afghanistan effects Taliban involvement in their political initiatives. There has been contention between the Turi people of Kurram and the Taliban for a very long time. This conflict is rooted in the different sects of Islam that the two peoples practice. The Turi people practice the Shia branch of Islam while the Taliban are dedicated to the Sunni branch, and while these sects are still forms of Islam, they differ enough in practice to make the situation between these two groups difficult and sometimes violent. The Taliban needs to use Kurram as an access point from Pakistan into Afghanistan and with the Turi people putting their foot down, ending all movement that involves Taliban militants there is obvious tension created. Adding to the complexity of the situation is the fact that the Turi people of Kurram “suspect the [Pakistan] government is pressuring the Turis to meet Taliban demands to cross their land” (BBC). This pressure from the Pakistan government in combination with the pressure from the Taliban is making Kurram surrounded with forces that disagree with their actions.

                                                                        Works Cited

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11625216