Sadda is inhabited by Pashtuns who speak Pashto. The main Pashtun tribes are the Bangash and Orakzai. Other large tribes are the Alisherzai, Mamozai, and Mangal. Being a trading point, it bustles with business activity attracting customers and traders from all over Kurram District. It is now a diverse multi-tribe city. During the Taliban insurgency, Sadda was home to many Taliban leaders before the Pakistan Army took control of the city.