Drones of Terror: How Small Quadcopters Are Fueling Deadly Attacks in Pakistan

Terrorists have unleashed chaos in Pakistan. What’s notable is that these terrorists are not using knives or guns, but rather another small weapon to wreak havoc. This weapon is the quadcopter, which terrorists are consistently using to target the Pakistani army. Especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, terrorists are carrying out attacks using this weapon almost daily.

In the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, clashes and attacks between security forces and terrorists are steadily increasing. The most sensitive areas include the three tribal districts of Lakki Marwat, Kalachi, and Waziristan, where incidents are on the rise. According to the police, on June 28, there was an attack on security forces near the Ghulam Khan area of North Waziristan, in which six soldiers were injured. The very next day, there was a suicide attack on security forces in North Waziristan itself. This is the biggest terrorist attack in Pakistan in recent times, carried out in a manner similar to the Pulwama attack. In this case as well, a suicide bomber drove a vehicle loaded with explosives into a military convoy.

Quadcopter Becomes a Major Weapon

In Pakistan, terrorists are using quadcopters as a major weapon, which are essentially like drones. A local resident told the media that a guerrilla war is going on between the army and the terrorists, with both sides attacking each other, causing harm to civilians. According to a report, on 19 May, a quadcopter dropped explosives on a house, killing four children. Later, another attack was carried out using a quadcopter in the same area. Similarly, attacks were also conducted using quadcopters in the Hormuz area of Mir Ali.

Afghan Border Closed

In response to the continuous attacks, Pakistan has closed the Ghulam Khan border with Afghanistan. Additionally, a curfew has been imposed in North Waziristan. Given the worsening situation in Waziristan, it appears that Pakistani security forces may launch military operations. In fact, the entire southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region is currently under tension.

TTP Expanding Its Network

Behind these continuous attacks in Pakistan is the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has claimed responsibility for several of them. According to a report by BBC Urdu quoting senior journalist and analyst Farzana Ali, the way attacks were carried out on security forces last week, and the way quadcopters are being used, is alarming. She said the manner in which terrorists are attacking indicates that they have succeeded in achieving their objectives.

Militant Groups Also Active

Alongside Tehrik-e-Taliban, the Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of the Taliban is also active in the region, conducting continuous operations. The group responsible for a recent attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Aswad al-Harb, is also reported to be a branch of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction. In addition, three other militant groups are also active. These include Lashkar-e-Islam, Tehrik-e-Inqilab-e-Islami, and Ittehad-e-Mujahideen Pakistan.