US drone strikes in North Waziristan kill at least eight suspected militants
Attacks by US drones have intensified in recent months after a pause in the first half of this year. Tuesday's attacks mark the third and fourth drone strike in three days.
In the first attack, three missiles from the unmanned aircraft hit a suspected training camp in the Shawal area of North Waziristan just after midday, two intelligence officials told Reuters. Six suspected militants were reported killed and nine injured, they said.
In the second attack, missiles hit a gathering of militants on a mountain in the Datta Khel region in North Waziristan, killing two people and wounding at least four on Tuesday evening, said intelligence officials.
Death tolls from drone strikes are often disputed since the area is off limits to independent journalists and observers. The Taliban also frequently seal off the sites of attacks.
The United States halted drone strikes in Pakistan for the first six months of 2014 while the government engaged in ultimately fruitless peace talks with the Taliban insurgency.
But the strikes restarted on June 11, just four days before the military announced an anti-Taliban offensive in the remote region of North Waziristan along the Afghan border.
Many of the militants who fled the offensive are believed to be hiding in the Shawal valley, a thickly forested, mountainous area.
Five suspected militants were killed in a strike in Shawal on Monday, and another five killed in a strike in the same area on Sunday.
The government routinely publicly protests the strikes as an infringement of its national sovereignty. But former President Pervez Musharraf admitted strikes during his term were approved.
The US has reined in its drone programme in Pakistan following intense criticism over civilian deaths. No civilians have been reported killed in 2014, according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, which tracks drone strikes using local media reports.
The Bureau said there had been at least 12 drone strikes in Pakistan so far this year, although it did not include the second strike from Tuesday in its data.
COMMENTS (25)
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@American:
yea right.. the americans who are watching every inch of your land know exactly when and where to fire...remember how they got your osama without even informing you..???
Drones have been very effective at taking out the terrorist leaders. May the USA develop even better technology to roast these murderers.
There exist a close coordination between pak army and NATO forces to fulfill the international commitment by Pakistan glven at the floor of gen. assembly of UN . To prove this coordination I have a convincing proof in the form of photograph in which the Drone landed near the target and then fired missile on it . The war against terrorism will keep on going till it realizes it's set mission . Opposltion to lt will be a futile effort .
@Laandia: Since when these murderers hiding in the mountains have become innocent?
It is becoming clear day by day that Drones are helping Pak Army in clearing the area from terrorists.
At present only bad guys are in North Waziristan. Thanks USA God bless you Kill them all. For the best of Pakistan and the rest of the world.
Keep it up, Drone!
Remarkable silence from IK :). Looks like he is in the loop nowadays.
Terming the drone strike as attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty, PTI chief said that the rulers have failed to protect the sovereignty of the country. . Popular belief ... I wonder how many Pakistanis really believe they have a sovereign right to provide sanctuary to terrorist who use your territory to attack your neighbors and supposed allies? It's an open secret that you have provided not only sanctuary but assistance to the Haqqani for over a decade ... some would consider that an act of war. . Nothing in this post violates ET policy.
The drone is the new national bird of Pak .
Pakistan army must wage war against united states
Good going keep these strikes coming.
Terming the drone strike as attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty, PTI chief said that the rulers have failed to protect the sovereignty of the country. . When you allow your territory to be used as terrorist sanctuary for over a decade you lose your sovereignty argument. Even China doesn't support Taliban Khan's argument that drones violate Pakistan's sovereignty. Get rid of the terrorist and the drones will disappear.
@Laandia: Why should you assume these are innocent?
Why is there no protest against American drones anymore? IK needs to stage a dharna for drone attacks which might be a good way out for his failed attempt to topple the government unconstitutionally.
Good job. These terrorists must get hit from all directions.
PTI must block all roads in Peshawar to protest drone strikes. Go Imran Go.
America resorted to the effective tactics rather than relying on sham Zarb-e-azb.
@Laandia: Who do you think are giving coordinates to the drones to fire its missiles ? The Pakistan Army !. Now you know why they keep quiet.
It's nice to see that the nonsense in Syria and Iraq have not removed the focus on the bad guys in Pakistan as well.
@Laandia
The population of North Waziristan was evacuated prior to the military operation initiated by the Pakistani Army, and Datakhel is a known hotbed of terrorists, so I highly doubt that "innocent people" are being killed in the current series of drone strikes or Pakistani air-strikes in North Waziristan.
I am completely perplexed as to why there is not a single recorded attempt by the Military of Pakistan to thwart any one of the some 340 plus US drone strikes spread over a decade, despite loudly voiced disapproval from three separate administrations?
All this pusillanimous quiescence despite Pakistan being equipped with the requisite military hardware to thwart drone attacks such as the Spada 2000 SAM’s, RBS-70 Bolide MANPADS, ZDK-03 AWAC’s, Saab 2000 Erieye AEW’s, AN/TPS-77 Transportable radars, F-16 fighters, AAMRAAM and Sidewinder AAM’s.
All this inactivity despite Pakistan being fully within her rights to shoot down any drone intruding into her own territory.
What then explains this lack of any recorded attempt by Pakistan’s Military to thwart US drone strikes on Pakistan’s territory? Complicity of the Punjabi dominated Military in the drone attacks or fear of the US by the Punjabi dominated Military or contempt of the Punjabi dominated Military for the intelligence of the Civilians of Pakistan?
Why are innocent people killed by drones? Pakistan army is keeping quite for almost a decade now against foreign attack.
I urge Pakistani army to defend innocent tribal slaughter by enemy drones.