Three people, including two children, were killed and four others were wounded when a mortar shell struck a residential house in northwestern Pakistan's South Waziristan district, police reported on Sunday.
Incident Details
The incident occurred on Saturday night at around 11:20 pm in Birmil Tehsil area, according to an incident report from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police. The shell hit the home of a resident named Muhammad Gul. Gul's wife and three sons aged 13, 4, and 22 were injured and shifted to District Headquarters Wana for medical treatment.
The deceased were identified as Gul's 15-year-old daughter, and two girls named Gulnaza Bibi (9) and Bashro Bana (6). The report stated that the source and target of the shelling were not immediately confirmed, and further details are awaited.
Suspected Drone Involvement
Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that the shell was suspected to have been dropped by a quadcopter drone. Local sources indicated that similar incidents involving alleged quadcopter drones have previously been reported in several areas of Birmal tehsil, including Azam Warsak, Guldona Ghundai, Karmazi, Staff, and Kalotai.
Pakistani officials have stated in the past that armed militant groups, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), are increasingly using commercial drones modified to drop explosives, alongside other weapons, to attack Pakistani law enforcers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Volatile Region
South Waziristan is considered one of Pakistan's most volatile districts, where security forces frequently engage in gunbattles with militant outfits such as the TTP. The region has seen numerous attacks and counter-insurgency operations over the years.
