Terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have started utilizing commercially available quadcopter drones to drop bombs on security forces, marking a concerning escalation in the region’s volatile security situation, according to local police.
The use of these drones, which are capable of vertical take-off and landing, has raised alarms among an already overburdened police force. These drones are particularly troubling due to their ability to deliver improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and mortar shells to targeted locations, posing a significant challenge to the security forces on the front lines.
Earlier this month, two drones were sent to attack a police station in Bannu district, resulting in the death of a woman and injuries to three children in a nearby house. In another instance, a drone spotted over a different police station on Saturday was shot down by officers using assault rifles. The drone was reportedly carrying a mortar shell.
Since the start of this year, at least eight drone attacks have targeted police and security forces in Bannu and its surrounding areas, according to local officials. Regional police chief Sajjad Khan noted that the terrorists are still refining their use of the drones, indicating that they are still in the experimental phase and are struggling to hit their intended targets with accuracy.
The drones are being used to drop explosive devices filled with ball bearings or iron fragments, designed to maximize damage. Despite the increasing use of these advanced tools by terrorists, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Inspector General of Police, Zulfiqar Hameed, expressed concerns about the police force’s lack of resources to counter these drone-based attacks. “We do not have the equipment to counter the drones,” Hameed said, highlighting the disparity in resources between the terrorists and the police force.
The growing threat of drone attacks has placed additional strain on the region’s already stretched security forces, which are struggling to adapt to this new form of warfare.
