Two civilians killed in Bannu quadcopter attack

Two civilians, including a woman, were killed and two others injured in a suspected terrorist quadcopter attack in Bannu, police said on Monday.

According to Bannu District Police Officer (DPO) Captain (retd) Muhammad Furqan Bilal, the attack took place in the Ping area of Wazir Sub-Division. The incident has added to growing concerns over the use of drones by militant groups in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Following the attack, police and security personnel launched a search operation in the area. The operation was supervised by DPO Furqan Bilal and involved personnel from district police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Elite Force, relevant police units and members of the local peace committee.

Police said the area was sealed off as security forces conducted a clearance operation from morning until afternoon. An exchange of fire took place between the security personnel and suspected terrorists during the operation.

One suspected terrorist was killed, and his body was recovered from the site, according to police. Officials said several other militants were also believed to have been killed or injured. However, their accomplices reportedly managed to remove the bodies and wounded militants from the area because of the difficult mountainous terrain.

A further search operation was launched after the firefight to locate any remaining militants and clear the area.

DPO Furqan Bilal said police would continue operations against terrorist elements with full force. He maintained that security forces would take every possible step to protect residents and their property in Bannu and surrounding areas.

The latest attack comes as the use of drones by militant groups has emerged as a growing security challenge in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Militants have increasingly relied on commercially available drones for surveillance and for carrying or dropping explosives while operating from a distance.

Police have reported several drone-related incidents in recent weeks, particularly around Peshawar. Officials have also reported drone activity in areas including Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Malakand, Karak, Tank, Hangu, Bajaur and Peshawar.