Militant drone strike injures 11 security personnel in northwest Pakistan

At least 11 security personnel were injured in a suspected quadcopter drone strike on a Frontier Corps (FC) installation in Bannu district, located in Pakistan’s restive northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The attack, which occurred early Monday, highlights the growing use of commercially available quadcopter drones by militants to drop improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on security forces -- a dangerous development in a region already grappling with renewed insurgent activity.

Drone strike hits Frontier Corps post in Bannu

A senior military official, speaking to Nukta on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the strike took place around 7:30 a.m. in the Takhti Khel area of Bannu.

“Personnel were engaged in routine duties when the drone strike occurred,” the officer said. The drone, operated by suspected militants, dropped an IED on the FC post, leaving 11 soldiers wounded.

According to official sources, the injured personnel were administered first aid at the site before being evacuated to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Bannu around 8:00 a.m. using FC vehicles. In response, FC troops fired approximately 150 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, after which a search and clearance operation was launched in the surrounding area.

Identities of the injured and their condition

A list obtained by Nukta named the injured as Sepoys Farooq, Abdul Razzaq, Qadeer Khan, Tawab, Habib Khan, and Adil. Naik Rahi Gul and Lance Naiks Kabir, Abdullah, Mohibullah, and Rawan were also among those wounded. All suffered shrapnel injuries and are reported to be in stable condition.

The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, authorities have yet to issue an official statement.

Militant drone use on the rise

While drone attacks in Pakistan are not entirely new, security officials say their frequency and sophistication are increasing. On July 19, militants launched a similar quadcopter-based attack on Miryan Police Station in Bannu, injuring two officers. This was the seventh consecutive drone strike in the area in recent weeks.

Police sources told Nukta that militants are increasingly relying on off-the-shelf drones, modified to deliver explosives, to bypass conventional security measures. Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sajjad Khan said that while militant groups have acquired the technology, they are still refining its use. “They are experimenting — which is why their strikes lack precision,” he said.

A region under siege

The attack underscores mounting pressure on Pakistan’s overstretched and under-resourced police forces, which are the first line of defense in many rural areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As militants adapt with modern tools, concerns are growing over the state's capacity to respond.

According to the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, militant groups carried out 335 attacks across the country in 2024 alone, killing at least 520 people. In recent weeks, the situation has triggered widespread unrest among local populations.

Thousands of residents from Pakistan’s border belt have taken to the streets, protesting both militant violence and what they suspect may be an imminent military operation.

A statement issued by protest leaders accused the state of failing to protect civilians while allegedly preparing for another wave of military offensives that could endanger local communities.