Sat Mar 29 14:20:42 UTC 2025: ## Pakistan Drone Strikes Kill 11, Sparking Protests
**Peshawar, Pakistan – March 29, 2025** – Eleven people, including women and children, were killed in three separate Pakistani army drone strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday night, sparking protests from local residents who claim the victims were innocent civilians. The strikes, targeting suspected Taliban hideouts near the Afghan border, came a day after seven Pakistani soldiers were killed by the Taliban in a separate attack.
Police confirmed the drone strikes and ongoing investigations to determine whether Taliban fighters were present at the time of the attacks. Local residents placed the bodies of the victims in the road to protest the action.
The Pakistani Taliban (TTP) launched a spring offensive in mid-March, claiming responsibility for approximately 100 attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone. The escalating violence has seen over 190 deaths since January 1st, primarily security forces personnel, in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan provinces.
In addition to the drone strikes, a bomb planted by separatists killed a soldier and a civilian in Balochistan. The ongoing conflict is fueled by accusations between Pakistan and the Taliban government in Afghanistan, with each blaming the other for harboring terrorist groups. Pakistan has stated that it will take necessary measures to counter threats emanating from across the border. Last year was the deadliest in almost a decade for Pakistan, with over 1,600 deaths resulting from attacks.
First Piper 