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US Drone strikes in Pakistan are illegal under international law.

US drone strike kills 4 in North Waziristan: Officials – The Express Tribune

MIRANSHAH: A US drone strike targeting a militant compound on Saturday killed at least four rebels in the Degan area of North Waziristan, security officials said.

The strike took place in the Degan area of North Waziristan, known as a bastion of Taliban and al Qaeda.

Has the public opinion about these strikes changed at all, specially after the recent spate of attacks on Pakistani Military? The comments section in the express tribune is full of people praising these strikes.
 
Without details everything has become suspect. Expect the government to be taken to court on this now that we have an independent judiciary. If the government is found to be in cahoots with the Americans, which they are as per scores of articles, well...

The answer to lack of control or weak control is not to outsource the job to foreign assassins. The answer is to establish control. As per Pakistani law, this is high treason for any one involved!

The pandora's box is open and US imperialism in Pakistan, inshAllah, would be one of the casualties of justice! I can foresee the US media would try to play this as "Islamists kicking out Pro-US government", but it would fail since these are moderates, hardly any religiosity in them. It will be very hard to fake this claim. Yes they are no US stooges and good riddance to all traitors.

thats why I have said many times, until Pakistan comes in the position to kill Western Voters/Tax Payers who fund their government to kill Pakistani civilians, NATO will never value life of Pakistani civilians.....
 
US drones kill 3 'militants' in Datta Khel

By Bill Roggio, September 22, 2012

US drones killed three "militants" in an area of Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan that is known to serve as a haven for al Qaeda. The strike is the first in Pakistan in three weeks.

The remotely piloted Predators or the more advanced Reapers hit a vehicle as it was traveling in the Datta Khel area of in North Waziristan, according to AFP. Pakistani officials said that three "militants" were killed.

The exact target of the strike has not been disclosed. No senior al Qaeda or allied jihadist commanders from foreign terrorist groups are reported to have been killed in the strike.

The Datta Khel area is administered by Hafiz Gul Bahadar, the Taliban commander for North Waziristan. Bahadar provides shelter to top al Qaeda leaders as well as terrorists from numerous Pakistani and Central Asian terror groups.

Read more: US drones kill 3 'militants' in Datta Khel - The Long War Journal


US drone strike kills 5 'militants' in Mir Ali


By Bill Roggio, September 24, 2012

The US launched the second drone strike in Pakistan in three days, killing five "militants" in an attack on a compound in the Mir Ali Area of the Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan.

The remotely piloted Predators or the more advanced Reapers fired several missiles at a compound in the village of Khaderkhail in the Mir Ali area, according to AFP. Pakistani officials said that five "militants" were killed.

Read more: US drone strike kills 5 'militants' in Mir Ali - The Long War Journal
 
What do you mean by "Illegal Drone strikes" they have been authorized by PPP & her political allies.
 
2 al Qaeda leaders reported killed in Mir Ali drone strike

By BILL ROGGIO, September 25, 2012

Two al Qaeda commanders are reported to have been killed in Monday's drone strike in the Mir Ali area of Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan. The report of the al Qaeda commanders' deaths has not been confirmed.

Abu Kasha al Iraqi, an al Qaeda leader who serves as a key link to the Taliban and supports al Qaeda's external operations network, and Fateh al Turki, a previously unidentified leader, are said to have been killed in the Sept. 24 airstrike in the Mir Ali area, Pakistani intelligence officials, Taliban commanders, and local tribesmen told Dawn. Between five and six people were reportedly killed in the drone strike on a compound.

Abu Kasha and Fateh are said to have been buried in the Mosaki area of North Waziristan, according to Dawn.

US intelligence officials contacted by The Long War Journal said they are aware of the reports of the deaths of the two al Qaeda leaders but cannot confirm that the terrorists were killed in the strike.


Read more: 2 al Qaeda leaders reported killed in Mir Ali drone strike - The Long War Journal
 
US drones kill 3 'rebels' in Mir Ali strike

By BILL ROGGIO, October 1, 2012

The US killed three "rebels" in a drone strike on a vehicle in the Mir Ali Area of the Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan today.

The remotely piloted Predators or the more advanced Reapers fired four missiles at a vehicle in the village of Khaderkhail in the Mir Ali area, according to AFP. Pakistani officials said that three "rebels" were killed.

The exact target of the strike has not been disclosed. No senior al Qaeda or allied jihadist commanders from foreign terrorist groups are reported to have been killed in the strike.

The strike is the second in the village since Sept. 24, when drones struck a compound there. Five "militants," including al Qaeda leader Abu Kasha al Iraqi and Fateh al Turki, a previously unidentified leader, are said to have been killed. Their deaths have not been confirmed.

Read more: US drones kill 3 'rebels' in Mir Ali strike - The Long War Journal
 
US drones kill 4 'militants,' 1 civilian in North Waziristan strike

By BILL ROGGIO, October 24, 2012

US drones killed four "militants" and one civilian in a strike today on a compound in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan.

Pakistani officials told Dawn that the unmanned Predators or Reapers fired three missiles at a compound and a vehicle in the village of Tappi near Miramshah in North Waziristan. "The official sources also said that three cows have also been killed as the house was completely destroyed," Dawn reported.

The target of today's strike has not been disclosed. No senior al Qaeda or allied jihadist commanders from foreign terrorist groups are reported to have been killed in the strike.

Terrorists are known to have sheltered in the village of Tappi in the past. The US has struck at targets in the village five other times since the beginning of 2008, according to data on the strikes that has been compiled by The Long War Journal.

The Haqqani Network, a Taliban group that operates in North Waziristan and Kurram, as well as in eastern Afghanistan, administers the area where today's attack took place. Al Qaeda leaders and operatives, who are closely allied with the Haqqani Network, shelter in the area, as do other terror groups. The US added the Haqqani Network to the list of global terror groups in September 2012 for supporting al Qaeda and conducting attacks in Afghanistan.

US drones kill 4 'militants,' 1 civilian in North Waziristan strike - The Long War Journal
 
Focus on drones


October 30, 2012

As the two main contenders for the White House vie with each other to assure the electorate that, given the opportunity to run the country post-November 6 polls, they would intensify drone attacks in the tribal region of Pakistan, it is refreshing to hear China reiterating its support of the call for putting an end to this senseless warfare. The support came when Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Zhao Qizheng addressed a joint press conference with Chairman of Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Haji Muhammad Adeel at Islamabad on Monday. Mr Zhao said that these air raids were a violation of sovereignty.

Drones, misconceived by US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta as the “weapon of choice” in eradicating the scourge of terrorism, are, in reality, the surest way to draw even the most peaceful of Pashtuns to the ranks of militants in order to wreak vengeance for the loss of their kith and kin the merciless sorties of these pilot-less planes inflict. Thus, they are a self-defeating exercise. If it is being pursued to cloud the reality of defeat against a ragtag force of the Taliban in Afghanistan and project the casualties as gains in the war on terror, the twin myths have been conclusively exploded by the studies conducted by prestigious American research bodies and columnists. The sterling rule i.e. winning the hearts and minds of the people, which used to be a main plank in the war to overcome the menace and was much talked about in the initial phases of the campaign, seems to have now been forgotten. Apparently, repeated setbacks on the battlefield hardened the strategists’ resolve to win by force. That thread of winning over the people has to be picked up to bring this doleful chapter in the history of mankind to a close.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s statement that armed action in North Waziristan is not the solution of the problem has to be viewed against this background. He also rightly pointed out that the drones were working against Pakistan’s efforts to check the incidence of terrorism. Hopefully, the US Ambassador-designate to Pakistan Richard Olson now that he has arrived in Pakistan would soon grasp the point that the people across the board here are against drone strikes not only because they violate our sovereignty, but also the frequent occurrences of the presumably accurate weapon’s mistargeting results in the loss of innocent lives and injects fresh blood into militancy. Mr Olson will soon see that Pakistanis and Americans share many common traits, among them: a fierce pride in their nation and a strong sense of family values. If Pakistan’s point of view is approached sympathetically, it can be easily understood. What Pakistan and the US must find is the space to achieve that mutual respect, that Ambassador Olson rightly spoke of. We wish the Ambassador good luck in finding this space for the benefit of both countries.


Click Here to read this story in digital format.

ePaper | The Nation
 
These drone strikes are gross violation of Human rights inside Pakistan done by USA. People in the tribal belt have suffered a lot with these killer drones, The psychological fear of being watched and hit by Drone alone will have lot of affects on Human psyche.

I still don't understand why Pakistan is not going to UN regarding this issue.

In the recent Presidential Debate Both Obama and Romney have said they both agree on the point that "Drones strikes will continue" which comes under "violation of Human rights and violating other country's sovereignty"

This Drones issue is not related to average American Tax payer and this Issue do not affect the Presidential debate.

Recently China also said that they share the same concern as Pakistan. If this issue comes to UN assembly Pakistan will have support from even Russia also.
 
US drones kill 3 'militants' in 1st strike in Pakistan in more than a month

By BILL ROGGIONovember 29, 2012

The US killed three "militants," including "foreigners," in the first drone strike recorded in Pakistan in more than a month.

The remotely piloted Predators or the more heavily armed Reapers fired several missiles today at a compound in the village of Shin Warzak in South Waziristan, Dawn reported. According to Geo News, the drone strike targeted a vehicle and killed three people, including "foreigners." The term 'foreigners' is often used to describe Arab al Qaeda operatives or members of regional terror groups outside of Pakistan. In an attempt to limit civilian casualties, the US often fires missiles at vehicles thought to be transporting terrorists.

Today's attack ends a 36-day-long hiatus in the strike campaign in Pakistan's tribal areas. The last strike took place on Oct. 24, when four "militants" and one civilian were killed in an attack on a compound in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan.

The pause in strikes was the second longest since the US campaign was ramped up in the summer of 2008 under the Bush administration. The longest pause was 55 days, from Nov. 26, 2011, to Jan. 10, 2012, when the Obama administration put the program on hold after US and Pakistani forces clashed in Mohmand. Pakistani troops had attacked US forces on the Afghan side of the border, and the ensuing firefight resulted in the deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers. The US later apologized for the incident, despite having been attacked first by the Pakistani soldiers who failed to disengage after US aircraft signaled that US forces were involved.

US intelligence officials involved in the drone program would not comment on the reasons for the long pause in strikes. One intelligence official contacted by The Long War Journal said that "it certainly wasn't due to a lack of targets."

"Pakistan is a target-rich environment," the official continued. "We're only scratching at the surface, hitting them in the tribal areas, while the country remains infested with al Qaeda and their allies."

Strike takes place in territory under control of "good Taliban" leader

Today's strike took place in an area under the control of Mullah Nazir, the leader of the Taliban in the Wazir areas of South Waziristan. Nazir has openly supported Taliban emir Mullah Omar and al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and wages jihad in Afghanistan. In an interview with the Asia Times, Nazir rejected claims that he opposed al Qaeda, and affirmed that he considered himself to be a member of the global terror organization. Pakistan's military and intelligence services consider Nazir and his followers "good Taliban" as they do not openly seek the overthrow of the Pakistani state.

Several top al Qaeda leaders, including Ilyas Kashmiri, Abu Khabab al Masri, Osama al Kini, Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan, and Abu Zaid al Iraqi, have been killed while being sheltered by Nazir. [For more information on Nazir and al Qaeda leaders killed while under his protection, see LWJ reports, 'Good' Pakistani Taliban leader Nazir affirms membership in al Qaeda, and US drones kill 'good' Taliban commander in South Wazirstan.]

Mullah Nazir's Taliban faction is one of four major Taliban groups that have joined the Shura-e-Murakeba, an alliance brokered by al Qaeda late last year. The Shura-e-Murakeba also includes Hafiz Gul Bahadar's group; the Haqqani Network; and the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, which is led by Hakeemullah Mehsud and his deputy, Waliur Rehman Mehsud. The members of the Shura-e-Murakeba agreed to cease attacks against Pakistani security forces, refocus efforts against the US in Afghanistan, and end kidnappings and other criminal activities in the tribal areas.

Also, in June, Nazir banned polio vaccinations in his areas, and claimed that the program is being used by the US to gather intelligence and conduct drone strikes in the tribal areas. He followed Hafiz Gul Bahadar, who shut down the program in North Waziristan earlier that month.

Read more: US drones kill 3 'militants' in 1st strike in Pakistan in more than a month - The Long War Journal

Al Qaeda commander thought killed in South Waziristan drone strike

By BILL ROGGIO, December 1, 2012

US drones struck in South Waziristan for the second time in three days, killing a Yemeni al Qaeda commander, according to reports from Pakistan. Two strikes have taken place in Pakistan's tribal areas after an unusually long pause that lasted for 36 days.

The remotely-piloted Predators or the more deadly Reapers fired missiles at a car traveling in Shin Warzak near Wana in South Waziristan, according to Dawn. Three "militants," including a Yemeni al Qaeda leader, were reported to have been killed in the strike.

The al Qaeda leader was identified as Abdul Rehman al Zaman Yemeni, and was described by The Express Tribune as "a senior al Qaeda leader."

However, a US military intelligence official who tracks al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan told The Long War Journal that Abdul Rehman is a "mid-level al Qaeda commander, equivalent to a colonel."

The strike is the second in Shin Warzak in three days. On Nov. 29, US drones killed three more terrorists, including a "foreigner," in a drone attack. Pakistani newspapers have identified the foreign fighter as Sheikh Abdul Bari.

The US military intelligence official told The Long War Journal that Bari, like Abdul Rehman, is a mid-level al Qaeda commander who has operated in Pakistan's tribal areas for some time. The intelligence official would not confirm the reports of the deaths of Bari and Abdul Rehman.

This week's drone strikes in South Waziristan ended a 36-day-long hiatus in the strike campaign in Pakistan's tribal areas. The pause in strikes was the second longest since the US campaign was ramped up in the summer of 2008 under the Bush administration.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/12/al_qaeda_commander_t.php#ixzz2DxCX59zm
 
US drone kills three suspected militants in Pakistan

Peshawar: A US drone fired a pair of missiles at a house in Pakistan's northwest tribal region near the Afghan border on Thursday, killing three suspected militants, Pakistani intelligence officials said.

The strike hit Mubarak Shahi village in the North Waziristan tribal area, the main sanctuary for Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in Pakistan, said the intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

The exact identities of the suspected militants were unclear. The area is dominated by prominent local militant commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur, who has focused his fight against Afghan and foreign troops across the border in Afghanistan.
The US rarely discusses the covert CIA drone program in Pakistan in public. But American officials have said privately that the strikes have killed many senior Al Qaeda and Taliban commanders.

On Wednesday, a pair of suicide bombers rammed their truck filled with explosives into the gate of an army camp in another part of Pakistan's tribal region, killing three soldiers and wounding more than 20, intelligence officials said.

Many were wounded when the blast caused the roof of a military hospital at the camp to collapse, said the intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. Some of the soldiers were critically wounded, and officials warned the death toll could rise.

The attack occurred in Wana, the main town in the South Waziristan tribal area, which was the most important sanctuary for the Pakistani Taliban until the army launched a major ground offensive in 2009.

The army says it has made great progress in flushing the militants out of the area, but attacks still occur periodically

US drone kills three suspected militants in Pakistan | NDTV.com
 
Al Qaeda religious leader thought killed in US drone strike

By BILL ROGGIO, December 7, 2012

A Kuwaiti who was a prominent member of al Qaeda's religious committee is thought to have been killed in a recent US drone strike in Pakistan's tribal areas.

Two "contemporaries" of Khalid bin Abdul Rahman al Husainan, who is also known as a Abu Zeid al Kuwaiti, said he died in Afghanistan on Dec. 6, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. The two Kuwaitis, identified as Jaber al Jalahmah and Nabil Ali al 'Awadhi, posted about Husainan's death, but did not indicate how he died.

US intelligence officials told The Long War Journal that al Husainan was killed in a recent drone strike in Pakistan's tribal areas. The US launched a drone strike in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan on Dec. 6, as well as two strikes in in the Wana area of South Waziristan on Nov. 29 and Dec. 1. One intelligence official said al Husainan may have been moved to Afghanistan after being wounded in a drone strike.

Al Qaeda has not issued an official statement announcing Husainan's death.

Al Husainan is a former imam in the Kuwaiti Endowments Ministry who "has appeared in dozens of as Sahab videos since August 2009, some lecturing on jihad and others speaking on Islam in general," according to the SITE Intelligence Group. Al Husainan is "presented as an al Qaeda religious scholar," SITE stated.

US intelligence officials told The Long War Journal that al Husainan was likely the successor to Abu Yahya al Libi as one of al Qaeda's top religious scholars. Abu Yahya al Libi was killed in a US drone strike in June of this year.

Read more: Al Qaeda religious leader thought killed in US drone strike - The Long War Journal
 

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