Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), officially referred to by the Pakistani government as Fitna-ul-Khwarij, has announced the creation of an “Air Force,” indicating that the militant organization is turning toward drone warfare.
As part of its recent organizational restructuring, the group appointed Maulvi Saleem Haqqani as head of its “Air Force” wing, while Hamza has been named in charge of the electronics and workshop department.
Given the recent videos of militant drone attacks, in which drones or small quadcopters are seen being used as weapons, it appears that the TTP is formally shifting toward drone-based operations.
Quadcopters costing between Rs200,000 and Rs300,000 can be effectively weaponized by attaching mortar shells or improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
In 2025, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has seen a major uptick quadcopter drone attacks primarily in the southern districts and tribal belts. TTP has increasingly used commercial quadcopters rigged with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), grenades, or mortar shells.
According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police statistics for 2025, militants carried out 54 drone attacks in the province, with the highest number reported in North Waziristan and Bannu.
Why is TTP carrying out terrorist attacks in Pakistan?
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, founded in 2007 by Baitullah Mehsud, seeks to overthrow the Pakistani government to establish an Islamic state governed by its strict interpretation of Sharia law.
Since 2018, the group has been led by Noor Wali Mehsud. Under his leadership, the TTP has consolidated various splinter groups and shifted its official targets away from civilians toward security forces and government officials.
Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, described the TTP as a direct challenge to the Pakistani state, claiming that about 70 percent of the group’s fighters are Afghans.
