Three Policeman Injured in Quadcopter Drone Attack in Pakistan’s Bannu

Peshawar (Terror Monitor) — Three policeman were injured after unidentified armed terrorists launched a quadcopter drone attack targeting Tower No. 3 at an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Bannu district of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, November 1.

According to police sources, the attack targeted a security position at the IDP camp in the Bakakhel subdivision of Bannu district.

The injured officers were immediately shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Bannu, where they are receiving medical treatment. Their identities and the severity of their injuries have not yet been officially disclosed.

Police sources said personnel deployed at the tower opened fire after spotting the approaching quadcopter drone. Following the exchange of fire, the drone reportedly retreated from the area.

According to initial information, the drone left the vicinity after police personnel responded with gunfire. It was not immediately clear whether the aircraft was carrying an explosive device or whether any explosives were dropped during the incident.

Security was subsequently tightened around the camp and other sensitive installations in the area, while police began investigating the attack.

Growing threat of drone attacks in Bannu

The latest incident highlights the growing security threat posed by commercially available quadcopter drones, which militant groups have increasingly used to target police stations, security checkpoints and other government installations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Bannu and its surrounding districts have witnessed a series of drone-related attacks in recent months, raising concerns about the ability of militant groups to adapt commercially available technology for offensive operations.

In July 2025, Reuters reported that Pakistani militants had begun using commercially acquired quadcopter drones to drop improvised explosive devices and mortar shells on police and security forces in the northwestern region.

Citing police officials, Reuters reported that at least eight drone attacks had targeted security forces in Bannu and neighbouring areas over approximately two and a half months at that time. Police officials also warned that security personnel lacked adequate equipment to counter the emerging threat.

In July 2026, Dawn reported that a quadcopter attack in the Bakakhel area of Bannu killed one person and injured four others after an explosive device was dropped from a drone. The district police chief subsequently highlighted the deployment of anti-drone guns and enhanced security measures at police stations and sensitive locations.

The latest attack on the IDP camp underscores the continuing security challenges facing police personnel in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly as militant groups increasingly employ drone technology in their operations.

No militant organisation had publicly claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack at the time of publication.