Drones have become a central feature of conflict in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Militants, chiefly the TTP and allied groups, carried out hundreds of quadcopter attacks on police and soldiers in 2025, while Amnesty International documented drone strikes that killed civilians, including children, for which Pakistani authorities have often denied responsibility.
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Jamestown Foundation analysis reported at least 405 militant quadcopter attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2025
Amnesty International documented four drone strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between March and June 2025 that killed or injured civilians, including the deaths of at least 17 people, among them children
Cheap commercial drones have shifted the balance in a long insurgency and created demand for counter-drone systems, a possible area for foreign security assistance. Civilian casualties from strikes fuel local anger and raise human-rights concerns relevant to any partner supplying equipment.
