US drones killed 2,800 civilians in Pakistan in 7 years

[IPL5]

A Pakistani human rights lawyer says over 2,800 of the 3,000 people killed over the past seven years in non-UN-sanctioned US assassination drone strikes in Pakistan were civilians, Press TV reports.


Shahzad Akbar, the director of the Foundation for Fundamental Rights, told Press TV on Saturday that only 170 of the people killed in the aerial attacks on the northwestern tribal belt of Pakistan have been identified as militants.

That means that “over 2,800 people were civilians, whose identities are not known, and they have just been killed on suspicion of being militants,” he added.

US President Barack Obama publicly confirmed for the first time in late January that drone aircraft have struck targets inside Pakistan.

Obama said "a lot of these strikes have been in the FATA", the acronym for Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Pakistan contends that the drone strikes are counterproductive.

“We are of the firm view that these are unlawful, counterproductive and hence unacceptable,” Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit said on January 31.

He added, “Our view has always been very clear and position principled.”

Sixty-four US missile strikes were reported in Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt last year, down from 101 reported in 2010, according to AFP tallies.

The US claims the airstrikes target militants affiliated with the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al-Qaeda. But locals say civilians are the main victims.

The aerial attacks, initiated by former US President George W. Bush, have escalated under President Barack Obama.

PressTV - US drones killed 2,800 civilians in Pakistan in 7 years

 

[bindaas]

I could have believed the data but the source is PressTV which is never trusted.

 

[IPL5]

^^^^whatever but it is shameful.

 

[Tshering22]

How does the channel know they were common civilians and not complicit or in liaison with the militant groups? If their identity is not known then there is definitely no way of proving that they were common citizens. And if at all the were, then what differentiates between a militant and a commoner? The act of being complicit with a militant group.

So..let it be proven before commenting.

 

[rai_kamal]

How does the channel know they were common civilians and not complicit or in liaison with the militant groups? If their identity is not known then there is definitely no way of proving that they were common citizens. And if at all the were, then what differentiates between a militant and a commoner? The act of being complicit with a militant group.

So..let it be proven before commenting.

The terrorist were pakistani citizens..can't you understand this much..
Thats why they r saying 2800 civilians, I fully trust this news source.. :nosarcasm:

 

[Jihad]

Ignorant Hindus, what if America strikes on Indian soil with drones, I think you'd also believe an Indian source with Indian casualties.

You can question this report, but fact remains, alot of innocent civilians have died in the course of these drone strikes.
The ones like you who doubt the loss of life should die themselves in these drone strikes, no offence.
It would spare us the useless trolls.

 

[babajees]

How does the channel know they were common civilians and not complicit or in liaison with the militant groups? If their identity is not known then there is definitely no way of proving that they were common citizens. And if at all the were, then what differentiates between a militant and a commoner? The act of being complicit with a militant group.

So..let it be proven before commenting.

Innocent until proven guilty! How do u know they were militants?

 

[Hulk]

Ignorant Hindus, what if America strikes on Indian soil with drones, I think you'd also believe an Indian source with Indian casualties.

You can question this report, but fact remains, alot of innocent civilians have died in the course of these drone strikes.
The ones like you who doubt the loss of life should die themselves in these drone strikes, no offence.
It would spare us the useless trolls.

If we have terrorist living in our country attacking other country.
If we say that our Army does not have capacity to deal with them.
If we say we are not willing to take help from others.

What option do one have?

If India is doing all the above, I will have no objection on Drones.

Issue is not US but your own countrymen, both state and non state.

 

[shuttler]

Looks like the yanks want to surpass the death toll of 9/11 ground zero! Its very tragic!

there is an obvious lack of co-operations between the 2 governments which has made the situations worsening. The Pakistani Government has shown their distance from the al-Qaedas and Talibans.

Obviously there is a need for unbiased reports on all the tragic cases of drone attacks if innocent casualties are involved. Let UN observers / 3rd party human rights org (if some factions in the world do not trust the local reports) to get involved verifying the case after each incidence. The drone strikes themselves are already brutal intrusions into a sovereignty country. Does any international law allow that to happen?

For the Pakistani government, they may consider establishing a monument with the names of the innocent countrymen engraved on stones. Let the whole world know about these and let generations of Pakistanis and friends of Pakistan commemorate and remember all these!

 

[darkinsky]

shame on pakistani government
shame on pakistan military

 

[joekrish]

It is the responsibility of the Pakistani govt to safe guard the citizens of its country, when they fail there is no hope.

 

[Mahmoud_EGY]

the us is the real terrorest and i am sure that their day will come sonner or later

 

[karan.1970]

What is Pakistani military doing while the drones come in with impunity and kill its citizens. ?? Unless PA can show a formal order from its defense ministry forbidding them to take down the drones, its just dereliction of duty on Kayani's part

 

[shuttler]

It is the responsibility of the Pakistani govt to safe guard the citizens of its country, when they fail there is no hope.

americans are too strong to fight against. Pakistan cannot stand a chance waging a war against it head on. Sorry to say this but it is quite factual!

the only thing for the Pakistanis government to do is to let the whole world know all these, let the tragic cases be heard, sue them in UN Tribunals. But beforehand, you need to gather evidences and establish cases - the purpose of my earlier comment!

 

[Edevelop]

Pakistani army have cleared Taliban control in their backyard in a matter of few years. Local citizens are proud of them. The process of re-developtment is underway.

LOL look at NATO and India. They've been stuck with Taliban/Haqqani and Laskahre Taiba for decades. Still no one is convinced with the mission.