Amnesty calls out authorities for failing to protect KP civilians from ‘repeated quadcopter attacks’

Rights organisation Amnesty International on Tuesday criticised Pakistani authorities for “failing to protect the lives and property of civilians” in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid a surge in suspected quadcopter and drone attacks.

The statement came in response to reports of multiple such attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan over the past year. In March, at least 11 people were killed in Mardan in what locals insisted was a drone strike, while in May, a suspected quadcopter munitions drop claimed the lives of four children and injured five others in North Waziristan District’s Mir Ali tehsil. The military clarified that security forces were “falsely implicated” in the incident and that it was carried out by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Last Friday, a child was killed and five others were injured after a suspected drone hit South Waziristan District, prompting condemnations from KP politicians.

“Pakistani authorities have failed to take action to protect the lives and property of civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who continue to pay the price of an escalating number of drone strikes in the province,” today’s statement by Amnesty said, quoting the group’s South Asia Deputy Regional Director Isabelle Lassée.

“Use of drones and quadcopters to conduct attacks resulting in the unlawful killing of civilians violates international law. Reports that the strikes have hit homes and volleyball games indicate a reckless disregard for civilian life.”

The statement added that Friday’s drone strike was part of an “alarming series of attacks” which have escalated since March of this year.

“While Pakistani authorities have often denied responsibility for these attacks, they are obligated to conduct prompt, independent, transparent and effective investigations into these attacks and bring all those responsible to justice through fair trials.”

Last month, 22 civilians, including children and youth, were injured when a suspected quadcopter dropped munitions in the Birmal tehsil of Lower South Waziristan district, officials confirmed.

The incident occurred near Karmazi Stop on the Wana-Azam Warsak Road.

In October of last year, as many as 13 civilians, mostly children, who received injuries when a quadcopter allegedly dropped explosives on a marketplace in Tirah valley here on Monday, were brought to hospitals in Peshawar for treatment, local sources had told Dawn.