Bannu, August 8, 2025: A Frontier Corps (FC) soldier was martyred and three others injured on Friday when a quadcopter drone dropped explosives on a security checkpost in the Takhti Khel Bakhakhel area of Bannu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), police said.
According to District Police Officer (DPO) Saleem Abbas Kulachi, the injured personnel were shifted to a nearby hospital. In response, FC troops and KP police launched a large-scale joint search operation to track down the perpetrators.
Authorities have since imposed an indefinite curfew in Bannu’s Havid area following intelligence reports of armed militants’ presence. Residents have been instructed to remain indoors after 5am until further notice, with DPO Kulachi warning that anyone assisting or sheltering terrorists will face severe legal consequences.
Terrorists have increasingly used drones to target police and security installations in southern KP, particularly in Bannu. Before adopting drone technology, militants employed advanced thermal imaging guns—reportedly smuggled from Afghanistan after NATO’s withdrawal—to attack personnel under the cover of darkness.
Last month, in an effort to counter aerial threats, KP police acquired a state-of-the-art anti-drone system capable of detecting and disabling unauthorised drones from a considerable distance. The system is intended to protect key government buildings, public figures, and major public gatherings, according to officials.
