Overview

• The July 12 drone strike marked the fifth quadcopter attack on Miryan police station in four weeks, with militants dropping ammunition without inflicting casualties or damage.
• Police were unable to bring down the high-altitude drone, highlighting gaps in current air defense capabilities against small unmanned vehicles.
• This assault follows a gun attack on Serai Gambila station and a July 2 IED bombing in Bajaur, illustrating the militants’ shift toward remote and asymmetric operations.
• Authorities have locked down checkpoints, boosted patrols, and initiated a comprehensive search operation across Bannu district to track the operators.
• Pakistan’s military has blamed the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan for deploying advanced quadcopter technology along the Afghanistan border.