A suspected drone strike on a residential house in the Bajaur district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) killed three people and wounded eight others on Thursday, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Saeedur Rahman confirmed to The Express Tribune.
Details of the Incident
The attack occurred at Pakistan Chowk in the Shinkot area of Mamund tehsil, targeting the home of Syed Wali Jan, son of Ajab Khan. Among the eight wounded were women and children. Local sources identified the deceased as 15-year-old Ishaq, son of Mirzaman; 30-year-old Imtiaz, son of Bakhtiar; and five-year-old Muneeba, daughter of Bakhtiar. The injured were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Khar for medical treatment.
Investigation Underway
Rahman stated that an investigation has been launched, but the origin of the suspected drone and the perpetrators remain unknown. “Police and relevant agencies have begun collecting evidence from the site and are examining the incident from different angles. Final details about the nature of the blast and those responsible will be shared after the investigation is completed,” he added.
Previous Drone Attacks in Bajaur
This incident follows a pattern of drone strikes in the region. In May, two schoolchildren were killed in a drone strike in the Shah Tangi area of Mamund tehsil, with the quadcopter's origin and those responsible remaining unidentified. Earlier that same month, three people were injured in another drone attack on a cricket ground.
Rising Militant Violence in K-P
K-P remains a focal point of Pakistan's counterterrorism efforts, with security forces conducting regular intelligence-based operations (IBOs) against militants. The province witnessed a significant surge in militant violence last year, with over 500 attacks reported—a 50% increase compared to the previous year. According to a security assessment obtained by The Express Tribune, K-P recorded 1,588 terrorism-related incidents, highlighting the growing militant threat across both settled and tribal districts.
Security Forces' Response
Despite the increase in attacks, security forces reportedly thwarted 320 major strikes, while 137 police personnel were killed in the line of duty. Joint operations by the K-P Police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), and other agencies led to the arrest of 1,244 suspected militants, and 420 militants were killed in IBOs. The report noted that Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Hangu, and Peshawar were among the most affected districts, with attacks allegedly planned and launched from across the Afghan border.
The CTD report also recorded a 56% increase in attacks targeting police personnel, rising from 327 in 2024 to 510 in 2025. During the year, security agencies conducted 2,791 search operations and identified 25 foreign militant operatives, while extortion networks in Peshawar and other districts were dismantled.
