January 22, 2026
By Kaleem Ullah
LAHORE
Six children were injured, and man is now battling for his life after a quadcopter drone attack in the Mir Ali area of District North Waziristan.
Sher Ayub, 40, a shopkeeper in the Musaki area of Mir Ali, was busy with routine work when he saw a quadcopter drone hovering over his shop and dropping an explosive. It was evening, and several children were also in the vicinity, some of them buying items from his shop, while others were playing outside.
The blast left Sher Ayub critically injured while causing minor injuries to seven of the children present at the situation. All of the injured were initially shifted to the nearest hospital in Mir Ali, where the children received treatment. Due to the severity of Sher Ayub’s condition, however, he was later referred to Khalifa Gul Nawaz Hospital in Bannu.
Speaking to Voicepk, Sher Ayub’s brother, Muhammad Yousaf—a salesman at a medical store in Mir Ali—said his brother had been running his small village shop when, at around 4pm, a quadcopter appeared overhead and dropped the bomb.
“My brother and the children who were buying things and playing outside were injured in the explosion,” he said.
Yousaf added that Sher Ayub has been in a coma and is on a ventilator, after shrapnel struck his head. The family initially planned to shift him to Peshawar for advanced medical care, but later after consulting the physician who informed the family that his condition required continued ventilation, adding that it was the only thing to do at this point in time.
The local administration of North Waziristan is reported to have contacted the family and arranged for Sher Ayub’s treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Bannu, where he is currently admitted.
“My brother is still in a coma and his condition remains unchanged,” Yousaf said. “Doctors told us that the previous 10 hours were critical, but now his condition is out of immediate danger.”
A district living through violence
Mir Ali is the second-largest urban centre of North Waziristan district. In recent months, daily gunfire has become routine, and clashes between security forces and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have become a regular occurrence. Life in the area has grown increasingly unpredictable, with residents uncertain about when gunfire, drone attacks, or mortar shelling might erupt—often turning civilians into collateral damage.
On the day of the incident, despite chilly rain that had kept many people inside their homes, hujras, and shops, heavy firing broke out in the area. Women, children, and elderly residents were seen rushing indoors in panic to avoid stray bullets.
For residents of Mir Ali and other parts of North Waziristan, quadcopter drones have emerged as a new and deadly threat. Locals say both security forces and militant groups are using these drones, but no party is taking responsibility for the harm being inflicted on civilians almost daily. Residents often blame security forces, an allegation the authorities deny, maintaining that drones are used only for surveillance. Militant groups, meanwhile, have remained silent on the issue.
Many residents say they are compelled to leave the area and seek safety in more stable districts. However, most lack the financial resources to relocate and feel trapped in a conflict being fought on the streets of their own homeland.
According to locals, drone attacks have created a climate of constant fear. Whenever it is spotted, people hurriedly gather their children and rush indoors. Yet even fleeing can be dangerous, as sudden movement is sometimes perceived as suspicious and can itself lead to targeting.
In recent months, quadcopter drone attacks have increased across Pakistan’s tribal belt and adjoining regions. Data compiled by Voicepk indicates alarming civilian casualties. Since April this year, more than 50 civilians have been killed and over 200 injured—most of them women and children.
Human rights organisations have also raised concerns. In June, Amnesty International reported that at least 17 civilians, including five children, were killed in quadcopter drone operations in 2025.
The district police of North Waziristan said an investigation into the Mir Ali incident has been launched.