Four children killed in alleged drone strike in Pakistan’s North Waziristan

A protest sit-in has erupted in Pakistan's restive district of North Waziristan following the deaths of four children in what residents claim was a drone strike on a civilian home.

The incident occurred in the Harmuz area of Mir Ali tehsil in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where a projectile allegedly hit a civilian home.

Medical officials at the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital confirmed the deaths of four children—identified as Maaz, Moeez, Salim, and Umar—aged between five and eight. Two women and two other children were also injured and are receiving treatment at various facilities.

According to Shah Fahad, father of three of the boys and uncle to the fourth, the strike occurred around 6 a.m. as the children were having breakfast before heading to school.

In response, residents staged a sit-in outside the Mir Ali Brigade, placing the bodies of the deceased at the protest site and demanding justice. Demonstrators are calling for an independent investigation, accountability for those responsible, and long-term civilian protection from aerial attacks.

“This is not the first incident,” said Eid Reham, a local activist and participant in the protest.

“Strikes have been happening frequently in this region, but the death of these innocent children has finally brought it into the public eye. We won’t bury the children until our demands are met.”

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jehanzeb Zarar confirmed the incident, saying three school-going children had been killed. He added that the circumstances surrounding the strike were still being investigated and that authorities were negotiating with protestors.

“The sit-in is expected to conclude soon, after which the children will be laid to rest,” he said.

Military sources deny strike

While no official statement has been issued by the federal or provincial governments, several provincial ministers condemned the incident on social media.

Meena Khan Afridi, a provincial minister, posted on X (formerly Twitter): “The strike took the lives of innocent children, whose faces bore no trace of militancy. From Katlang to South Waziristan and now North Waziristan, these attacks continue. What message is being sent through the blood of our children?”

Nek Muhammad, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister, urged authorities to ensure military operations steer clear of civilian areas, emphasizing the need to protect non-combatants. Another special assistant, Sohail Afridi, said the tribal districts had suffered years of violence from both state and non-state actors.

“From Mir Ali to Tirah, loyal and law-abiding Pakistanis continue to be targeted. Their only ‘crime’ is unwavering patriotism amid systemic violence,” Afridi said.

Sources within the security establishment denied the occurrence of a drone strike, claiming instead that the children were killed when mortar fire landed in a civilian area after a failed quadcopter attack by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) targeting security forces.

At the time of publication, the TTP had not commented. However, Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP), another banned group, released a statement vowing to avenge the children’s deaths.

Pattern of strikes raises alarm

The incident marks the fifth alleged drone strike in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the past two months, raising concerns about the increasing frequency of such attacks.

Previous incidents were reported in Tank on May 15, Bannu on May 13, North Waziristan on May 8, and Mardan on March 29, collectively leaving dozens dead or injured.

Authorities have not confirmed the origin of the alleged drone strikes, but local communities remain on edge amid fears of further civilian casualties.