Suspected drone strike kills child, injures five in Pakistan's South Waziristan
PESHAWAR: A suspected drone strike killed one child and injured five others in a remote village of Pakistan's South Waziristan district on Friday, triggering protests by local residents who demanded greater security and clarity from the authorities.
The incident took place in the Dashka settlement near Makeen, a mountainous region that is part of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. Local officials said the origin of the drone was still unknown, but the strike has renewed concerns following a similar attack last month in nearby North Waziristan that killed four children and sparked days of demonstrations.
'The attack took place at around 11:30 a.m.,' Abdul Qadir, a senior police officer in the district, told Arab News over the phone. 'The children, aged between four and 11, were immediately rushed to Razmak Hospital for emergency medical treatment.'
Reacting to the development, Asif Khan Mehsud, a provincial lawmaker from the area, said his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party (PTI) had consistently opposed drone strikes on Pakistani soil, labeling them a gross violation of human rights.
'This reckless attack on innocent civilians must be investigated,' he added.
Last month, a suspected quadcopter drone strike in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, killed four children and injured others, prompting mass protests and a statement from the military's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations.
The military said it had carried out an investigation into the incident, denied involvement and blamed the attack on militant groups, while residents demanded accountability and security guarantees.
On Friday, people in Makeen launched a protest sit-in, seeking protection rather than compensation, as local elders met with police and security officials to voice their outrage.
'We are not safe even in our own homes,' said Muhammad Jan, a tribal elder participating in the protest. 'What we demand is not money or charity. We want protection and peace.'
He added that tribal elders would continue dialogue with local authorities to explore long-term security arrangements for the area.
Pakistan's northwestern tribal belt has witnessed militant violence, military operations and US drone attacks in the past.
While US-led international forces pulled out of Afghanistan in August 2021, the issue of militancy continues, prompting security forces to launch intelligence-based operations in these areas.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Pakistan urges IAEA to take clear position on Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear sites
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to clearly state its legal position on last week's Israeli strikes targeting nuclear facilities in Iran while highlighting their grave implications for regional and international security. The call came during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Friday, after Israel launched airstrikes about a week ago that killed several senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists, triggering a direct military confrontation between the two countries. Israel's attacks came as Tehran was engaged in negotiations with the United States to reach a nuclear agreement. Iran has repeatedly stated it has no intention of building nuclear weapons but will not surrender its right to a peaceful nuclear program or halt uranium enrichment activities. Israel, however, contends that Iran is close to developing a bomb. The United States has backed Israel in the conflict and called for Iran's 'complete surrender,' insisting Tehran must not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. Pakistan, in its remarks to the Council, reiterated its condemnation of Israel's 'unjustified and illegitimate aggression,' describing the attacks on nuclear facilities as 'deeply troubling.' 'It is the responsibility of the IAEA to clearly pronounce its legal position with regard to such attacks as well as to report to its Board of Governors and to the Security Council about the legal, safeguards, safety and security implications of such attacks,' Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, told the Council. 'The Agency should fulfil that responsibility,' he added. The Pakistani envoy also denounced Israel's widening war in the Middle East, including in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. He maintained that Tel Aviv's attack on Iran had further inflamed an already volatile regional situation. Ahmad also said the UN Security Council must act decisively to halt Israel's military actions and prevent the situation from spiraling further. He urged the Council to categorically reject Israel's actions, promote de-escalation and support a comprehensive ceasefire. The Pakistani envoy further called on the Council to denounce the targeting of nuclear facilities safeguarded by the IAEA, pointing out that diplomacy must remain central to resolving the Iran-Israel crisis. 'Dialogue and diplomacy in full adherence to the principles of international law and the UN Charter remain the only viable path to resolving the crisis,' he said. 'This Council must unite in support of the Secretary-General's call to end the fighting and return to dialogue and negotiations.' Ahmad also stressed that the IAEA must be allowed to continue its verification work 'unimpeded,' and should operate in an 'impartial and apolitical manner' to ensure credible and objective reporting on matters under its mandate.
Arab News
10 hours ago
- Arab News
Violence against children hit ‘unprecedented levels in 2024'
NEW YORK: Violence against children caught in multiple and escalating conflicts reached 'unprecedented levels' last year, with the highest number of violations in Gaza and the West Bank, Congo, Somalia, Nigeria and Haiti, according to a UN report. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' annual report on Children in Armed Conflict detailed 'a staggering 25 percent surge in grave violations' against children under the age of 18 from 2023, when the number of such violations rose by 21 percent. In 2024, the UN chief said children 'bore the brunt of relentless hostilities and indiscriminate attacks, and were affected by the disregard for ceasefires and peace agreements and by deepening humanitarian crises.' UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is 'appalled by the intensity of grave violations against children in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel,' and 'deeply alarmed'by the increase in violations, especially the high number of children killed by Israeli forces. He cited warfare strategies that included attacks on children, the deployment of increasingly destructive and explosive weapons in populated areas, and 'the systematic exploitation of children for combat.' Guterres said the UN verified 41,370 grave violations against children — 36,221 committed in 2024 and 5,149 committed earlier but verified last year. The violations include killing, maiming, recruiting and abducting children, sexual violence against them, attacking schools and hospitals, and denying youngsters access to humanitarian aid. The UN kept Israeli forces on its blacklist of countries that violate children's rights for a second year, citing 7,188 verified grave violations by its military, including the killing of 1,259 Palestinian children and injury to 941 others in Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry has reported much higher figures, but the UN has strict criteria and said its process of verification is ongoing. Guterres said he is 'appalled by the intensity of grave violations against children in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel,' and 'deeply alarmed' by the increase in violations, especially the high number of children killed by Israeli forces. He reiterated his calls on Israel to abide by international law requiring special protections for children, protection for schools and hospitals, and compliance with the requirement that attacks distinguish between combatants and civilians and avoid excessive harm to civilians. The UN also kept Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad on the blacklist. Israel's UN Mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In Congo, the UN reported 4,043 verified grave violations against 3,418 children last year. In Somalia, it reported 2,568 violations against 1,992 children. In Nigeria, 2,436 grave violations were reported against 1,037 children. And in Haiti, the UN reported 2,269 verified grave violations against 1,373 children. In the ongoing war following Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the UN kept the Russian armed forces and affiliated armed groups on its blacklist for a third year. The secretary-general expressed deep concern at 'the sharp increase in grave violations against children in Ukraine' — 1,914 against 673 children. He expressed alarm at the violations by Russian forces and their affiliates, singling out their verified killing of 94 Ukrainian children, injury to 577 others, and 559 attacks on schools and 303 on hospitals. In Haiti, the UN put a gang, the Viv Ansanm coalition, on the blacklist for the first time. Gangs have grown in power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. They are estimated to control 85 percent of the capital and have moved into surrounding areas. In May, the US designated the powerful coalition representing more than a dozen gangs, whose name means 'Living Together,' as a foreign terrorist organization. Secretary-General Guterres expressed deep 'alarm' at the surge in violations, especially incidents of gang recruitment and use, sexual violence, abduction, and denial of humanitarian aid. The report said sexual violence jumped by 35 percent in 2024, including a dramatic increase in the number of gang rapes, but stressed that the numbers are vastly underreported. 'Girls were abducted for the purpose of recruitment and use, and for sexual slavery,' the UN chief said. In Haiti, the UN reported sexual violence against 566 children, 523 of them girls, and attributed 411 to the Viv Ansanm gang. In Congo, the UN reported 358 acts of sexual violence against girls — 311 by armed groups and 47 by Congo's armed forces. And in Somalia, 267 children were victims of sexual violence, 120 of them carried out by Al-Shabab extremists. According to the report, violations affected 22,495 children in 2024, with armed groups responsible for almost 50 percent and government forces the main perpetrator of the killing and maiming of children, school attacks, and denial of humanitarian access. The report noted a sharp rise in the number of children subjected to multiple violations — from 2,684 in 2023 to 3,137 in 2024. 'The cries of 22,495 innocent children who should be learning to read or play ball — but instead have been forced to learn how to survive gunfire and bombings — should keep all of us awake at night,' said Virginia Gamba, the UN special representative for children and armed conflict. 'We are at the point of no return,' she said, calling on the international community to protect children and the parties in conflict 'to immediately end the war on children.'
Arab News
12 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan PM orders expansion of national shipping fleet to cut $4 billion trade cost
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed authorities to lease new ships to expand the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation's (PNSC) fleet, aiming to reduce the $4 billion annual foreign exchange burden on sea-based trade. The directive comes as Pakistan looks to bolster its maritime trade capacity and reduce reliance on foreign shipping lines, which officials say significantly contributes to the country's widening trade deficit and puts pressure on foreign exchange reserves. Pakistan's sea trade plays a vital role in its economy, with over 90 percent of the country's imports and exports transported by sea. 'The prime minister directed that ships be acquired on lease to expand the fleet of the PNSC,' the PM Office said in a statement following a meeting on PNSC affairs chaired by Sharif. 'He noted that due to the limited number of ships in the PNSC fleet, the national exchequer incurs a loss of $4 billion annually in foreign exchange on sea-based trade.' Sharif instructed authorities to present a strategy within two weeks for the PNSC to eliminate this burden on the national treasury on account of freight charges. The development comes as Pakistan plans to enhance its maritime trade with other countries, including the East African Community, and establish direct sea links with Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In February, Pakistan and Bangladesh also decided to begin passenger and cargo shipping services between the two countries. The PNSC inducted two $60 million Aframax oil tankers in 2019 to strengthen its oil transportation fleet. Pakistan also regularly collaborates with its counterparts from various parts of the world to ensure illicit activities such as smuggling, drug trafficking, and piracy are kept in check.
