SOUTH WAZIRISTAN, WANA: In yet another alarming incident of drone warfare, a quadcopter drone attack claimed the life of one child and left five others injured—aged between five and eleven years—in Makin Tehsil, Upper South Waziristan.
According to locals, the incident occurred in Dashka village. Children were playing outside a local shop near a school when a drone descended unusually low. As the children chased the drone, it dropped live ammunition on them—killing one child on the spot and injuring the others.
Relief Turns Into Tragedy
Makin, known for its cool climate and scenic beauty, attracts visitors from nearby districts such as Tank and D.I. Khan, especially during summer. The children injured in the incident had come seeking respite from the sweltering heat—but instead became collateral damage in the protracted, two-decade-long conflict in the region.
Alamzaib Khan Mahsud, a human rights activist and founding member of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), spoke to The News Today about the incident.
“The attack happened around 11 a.m. while the children were playing outside the shop. After the drone strike, security forces began firing in the area,” he said.
Alamzaib, known for documenting cases of missing persons and landmine victims, added:
“These quadcopters were once used for surveillance and even had speakers to communicate. But over the past year, they’ve been fitted with mortar ammunition, flying dangerously low and hitting unintended targets.”
Public Outrage and Rising Death Toll
The local community staged a protest following the attack and buried the deceased child. A jirga (tribal assembly) has been scheduled to decide on the community’s formal response.
This latest strike brings the month’s toll to 12 dead and more than 60 injured, with most victims being children. Data indicates that among the injured are 15 women, 16 children, and several adults over 18.
District Police Officer (DPO) of Upper South Waziristan confirmed the incident and told TNT that the injured had been shifted to CMH Razmak. Full security was provided during the protest, and although no FIR has been filed yet, the authorities are providing support to the affected families.
Calls for Accountability
Asif Khan, Member of the Provincial Assembly from the region, condemned the attack and demanded transparency.
“How long will we continue to endure this? These drone policies are alienating our people from the state. The government must adopt a policy rooted in peace and stability,” he stated.
Khan urged the state to bring those responsible to justice and to compensate victims fully to ensure their access to medical treatment.
Pattern of Strikes and Denials
This latest drone strike is part of the counter-militancy operations, where drone technology is increasingly being deployed.
In May, a similar attack in Hurmaz, North Waziristan killed four children. That incident triggered an eight-day sit-in protest led by grieving families. Protestors disbanded only after receiving written assurances from civil and military officials that civilians would not be targeted in future drone operations.
However, the military’s media wing, ISPR, denied involvement, attributing the attack to the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The TTP, however, has not issued any statement taking responsibility.
Parliamentarians Demand Immediate Action
In a Facebook post, local MNA Zubair Khan Wazir strongly condemned the drone attack.
“Targeting children with drone strikes cannot be justified under any law, morality, or humanity,” he wrote.
He urged the federal government, defense institutions, and human rights organizations to investigate the attack and immediately halt unjustified drone use, curfews, and search operations that infringe upon constitutional rights.
