A dangerous new phase in the Khawarij insurgency has emerged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as the extremist group begins using commercial drones to carry out bomb attacks. However, due to their lack of technical expertise and targeting capability, their strikes have consistently missed intended security targets and instead inflicted harm on innocent civilians.
Police officials confirmed that two recent drone attacks in Bannu were directed at local police stations, but the explosives dropped from low-flying commercial drones landed in nearby residential areas. As a result, a woman was killed and three children injured, exposing the reckless brutality of these failed attempts.
“These Khawarij lack the operational skill to control drones or select targets precisely,” stated police officer Muhammad Anwar. “They are trying to hit law enforcement installations, but it’s unarmed, innocent civilians who are suffering the consequences.”
In another alarming incident, security forces in Bannu shot down a suspicious drone near a police station. The drone was armed with a mortar shell, and officials say a direct hit on a civilian home could have led to a mass-casualty disaster.
Regional Police Chief Sajjad Khan revealed that the Khawarij are testing this new mode of attack. “Although their targeting remains inaccurate, the trend is becoming increasingly dangerous. Their experimentation with drone warfare has turned into a growing threat for the civilian population,” he warned.
According to security sources, at least eight drone attacks have taken place in Bannu and adjoining areas in the past two and a half months. The improvised explosives were packed with ball bearings and metal fragments to maximize lethality yet most attacks missed their marks and struck civilian zones.
Inspector General of Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zulfiqar Hameed, acknowledged the limitations in current defensive capabilities. “We lack anti-drone systems and advanced monitoring tools, while the Khawarij are now employing modern technologies. This imbalance must be urgently addressed.”
Security analysts are sounding the alarm, warning that even in the hands of inexperienced operators, the Khawarij’s drone attacks can quickly escalate into devastating assaults. Experts are calling for immediate deployment of anti-drone systems, thermal imaging equipment, modern radar, and jamming technologies to safeguard law enforcement and, above all, protect the civilian population from further harm.
