Pakistan Warns of Rising Drone Threats to UN Peacekeepers

New York (Web Desk): Pakistan, one of the world’s largest contributors to United Nations peacekeeping missions, has issued a stark warning about the evolving dangers facing blue helmets, highlighting the increasing use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and other emerging technologies by hostile actors.

Speaking at a UN event on ‘Safety and Security of UN Peacekeepers in the Context of Emerging Technologies’, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, said, “Peacekeeping environments are becoming more complex, more fluid and more lethal. Our response must therefore be equally adaptive, coherent and collective.”

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Ambassador Ahmad emphasized the human dimension of peacekeeping, noting that Pakistan has lost 182 peacekeepers under the UN flag. He cited rising attacks in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and UNIFIL operations along the Lebanon-Israel Blue Line as evidence of the growing threats, especially as mission footprints and resources shrink.

Highlighting recent incidents, he referred to the drone attack in Kadugli that killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers, illustrating the challenges posed by emerging technologies. “It also shows how difficult it is to identify perpetrators and ensure accountability. If attacks cannot be traced, deterrence is weakened,” he warned.

Ambassador Ahmad underlined the need for advanced counter-UAS capabilities, improved early-warning systems, enhanced surveillance, and data-driven threat analysis as essential measures for force protection. He stressed that mandates must be matched with the necessary capabilities and resources, while accountability for attacks must remain central to collective efforts.

“Safety and security must start with a simple principle: mandates must be matched with the necessary capabilities and resources,” he said, reiterating Pakistan’s call for strengthened protection for UN peacekeepers in the face of emerging threats.