What happened
At least four children from the same family were killed and several other people were injured when multiple drone missiles struck the Ghwa Khwa area of South Waziristan, local sources told The Nation, in strikes residents said appeared to target suspected vehicles and alleged militant movement.
According to the report, one vehicle was completely destroyed and nearby houses and other property were extensively damaged. The explosions triggered widespread panic and were reportedly heard from long distances. The injured were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Wana for treatment.
Separately, a mortar shell hit a market near a petrol pump in the Dorri Banda area of Hangu, killing four people and injuring 12, police told The Nation. Deputy Superintendent of Police Amjad Hussain said the wounded were moved to nearby hospitals and that two people who were seriously injured were later shifted to Peshawar.
The Hangu operation
The mortar shell landed in the market during an exchange of fire in the area, according to police, who said security had been tightened and an operation against militants was continuing. Clashes between militants and police were also reported in the Zargari area, the report said.
Why it matters
The incidents underlined again the civilian toll from militancy and security operations in Pakistan’s north-western belt. Residents of South Waziristan, especially Wana, said the region had endured decades of fear, unrest, bombings and loss of life, and urged authorities to protect civilians and their property and to take effective steps towards lasting peace and stability.
The accounts rest heavily on local testimony. Eyewitnesses claimed that drone strikes in the region often affect densely populated civilian areas and place ordinary residents, particularly children playing outdoors, at serious risk, while suspected militants frequently manage to escape or take shelter before such attacks.
What remains uncertain
The report attributed the identity and intent of those targeted to local sources and did not say which side carried out the South Waziristan strikes. No group immediately claimed responsibility in the material cited here, and no independent verification of the casualty accounts was available.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published material, not independent reporting. Source reviewed on 2026-05-08.
- The Nation — "4 children among eight killed in Hangu, Waziristan attacks"8 May 2026 · Reports the South Waziristan drone strikes, the Hangu market mortar shell and the police account of the casualties and the continuing operation.
