Dawn newspaper, citing officials, reported the initial hit on the fort in Dargah Shahidan. As medics transported the wounded, attackers launched a second quadcopter assault on the ambulance, killing three en route to medical care. Police spokesperson Shaukat Khan identified the attackers as unknown terrorists, with Saud Khan detailing the tragic sequence.

This comes amid a spike in assaults: a Bajaur checkpoint suicide blast last week claimed 11 lives; two FC personnel were injured in Waziristan’s Salgazi on February 18; and November’s Peshawar HQ bombing killed three.

CRSS data paints a grim picture—KP violence incidents rose 44% in 2025, with deaths soaring from 1,620 to 2,331 compared to 2024. The advent of affordable drones empowers insurgents, forcing a rethink of static defenses and patrol strategies.

Provincial authorities vow a robust response, but experts call for advanced anti-drone tech and intelligence sharing to stem the tide. The cycle of retaliation threatens to destabilize the region further.