North Waziristan: US drone strike kills 21 ‘Haqqani men’
A pre-dawn US drone strike is said to have killed at least 21 militants belonging to the Haqqani network in a village in North Waziristan Agency on Wednesday. Seven others were injured in the attack. Local people, however, said the death toll was 25.
Residents in Miramshah reported hearing two huge blasts a minute apart as they were waking up for sehri. They said the attack took place near Gora Qabrisitan in Miramshah Killay, just half a kilometer away from Miramshah town, the agency’s headquarters. One of them told The Express Tribune that they had seen 25 coffins being buried, and some of the corpses were of the fighters killed in clashes with Nato forces in Afghanistan.
However, an intelligence official in Miramshah told The Express Tribune that the attack occurred in Machis Killay, which is approximately a kilometer away from the Miramshah Bazaar. (WITH ADDITIONAL IN PUT FROM AFP)
Published in The Express Tribune, August 11th, 2011.
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@Muslim:
No problem. None of it exist in Pakistan any way. Wasn't judiciary, courts, law universities were shut down during Zia's reign? What are you talking about?
Bloviating sir?
@M.Akthar: Bishop M.Akhtar comments doesn't seems to be effective either ...
USA is just pursuing its national interest. They are answerable to the people there who want revenge for 9/11 to continue but troop casualties on ground to decrease. The answer is drone attack.The US government care for american people and their opinion. In Pakistan the public opinion on drone attack is divided and government has already surrendered to the US pressure. These Pakistanis are getting killed because their government doesn't care for them. The government, and not without reason, is concerned about Karachi but drone attacks are happening from long back now. The government says Karachi is important for the economy of Pakistan. But the innocent lives lost in drone attack is a crime ( murder ) as per Pakistani and international laws. And i say this because i understand there cannot be 100% precision strikes all the time. There must be simultaneous civilian deaths. How can there be repeated civilian killings in similar fashion by a foreign country even when war has not been declared. This is not just an probabilistic assumption. There are a lot of details that lead to this truth. USA does not accept that it is doing drone attacks and killing Pakistanis inside Pakistan. however the accept and own up civilian deaths in Afghanistan. While the US marines and soldiers are leaving shortly CIA and drones will not leave. So why will they stay back ? These issues are talked less in media. The overall behaviour say everybody ( including the Pakistani government ) has made up their mind to sacrifice these people. The sole reason for this seems that these people are weak economically, politically and don't know how and where to raise these issues. The authorities believe they can get away with this. We must not forget how it reacted with such intrusion when it happened in non-tribal Abottabad even when this time the strike was one of precision ( for it was not drone but a ground operation ).
Fantastic.... as long as the Pak army refuses to do their job..the Drones should fly free and hit whenever they can..... how can one claim to be innocent when they hang around the terroists
very sad...who told you that those who were killed in drone attacks were terrorist..this is to bad to got result just from media information.i himself belongs to same area and in my observation,95% innocent civilians were killed in such type of attacks.if drone attackes are against terrorists then why not these types of attackes are carried our in karachi,lahore and islamabad.infact these drone are producing new terrorists by killed innocents.plz change your mind.
Drone remains an effective weapon and gives a constant reminder to terrorist that despite the nefarious agreement with Pakistan there is no safe place to hide.
As for the innocent civilian babble - if these drones blew up a building full of innocent civilians you can bet money that the Taliban would provide close up pictures of the carnage and the Pakistani military would be blowing it's horn again about stopping the drones --- but you won't find pictures and the Pakistani govt remains mute. .. You want the drones to stop --- simple --- eliminate the sanctuaries --- send these terrorist back to Afghanistan where the USA will handle them face to face.
@Ex Pakistani I am anything but Pakistani. I dont believe in the brand Mr. Jinnah tried to create
Ok, but it seems like at some point you believed in that brand otherwise u won't call your self 'Ex Pakistani'.
Only practical way to stop drone attacks is to move tribals to safer areas, carry out operation against militants, rehabilitate the tribes, carry out development works, and remain there for some years. But for that we will have to give up the foolish idea of strategic depth.
@Frank Who gave away Shamsi base to US for drone strikes? What the purpose of that white elephant if it cant protect the people?
@Buster: I am anything but Pakistani. I dont believe in the brand Mr. Jinnah tried to create
Ex Pakistani
I know for a fact why he was killed but the Express Tribune will not let me tell you why.
Does a single one of you liberal humanitarians not care about the Pakistani civllians that are killed by these American drone attacks on Pakistani villages? I feel sick in the stomache watching your celebrations. What is wrong with you people?
@Ex Pakistani
If you are Ex, why use this title. BTE what r u now, Martian?
This is Allahs azab on us as we have quit quran and following distorted deen of ulema of various sects. In fact our ulema are our real Gods because we prefer their advice on clear injunctions of quran so all of this is happening. Sectarianism is simply shirk but we are proud of our sect so let it happen to us......
@umair , Please educate yourself by seeing drone videos in youtube through live leaks. There would also be a group of guys holding ak47 or RPG hopping in a jeep and entering a house or a compound and boom the whole area goes up in flames. Just hear the drone operators checking and confirming with higher ups and it would be 100 % clear that the person would have a machine gun or RPG or IED through thermal imaging cameras. Check and tell me if you feel those are innocent civilians sleeping or praying or eating ..I bet you would not find.. In this case most likely the group of haqqani fighters would have travelled in open jeep (all visible with guns appearing as distinct white color etc through thermal imaging cameras) and they would have been followed by drone operators till they end up in a house . The moment they enter their house ,the total house would have been bombed including any children of those jeepwalas in the house. So yes there is a collateral damage possibility but it is based on perception.
@Ex. Pakistani Ok. Just for information though, I am not from the haqqani network so please dont tell them about me.
@Aslam Mahaboob Just like they tracked down OBL or WMD in Iraq? There is no way what happened with OBL can be linked with Drones. Plus, just to enforce the point, OBL had a name, what are the names of the gentlemen who died as 25 suspected militants? I think to track down someone you atleast have to have a name. Right? Or to think of someone as suspected? Suspision of being who?
“The dead included local Taliban as well as some Arabs and Uzbek nationals,”
The intelligence officer quoted is Pakistani, in N. Waziristan
RIP every innocent person killed in this sickening terrorist attack.
@umair mahmood: they have moles on the ground.. people within
@umair mahmood : Just like how they tracked down OBL
Those killed now are "Shaheed" and the Drones are "Ghazi". Both will go to Heaven so the deal is not not bad.
MIRANSHAH: A US drone strike killed at least 25 suspected militants in North Waziristan Wednesday, officials said, just days after Pakistan called for “clear terms of engagement” in the US-Pakistan relationship. Among those targeted in the attack on a house in the main town of Miranshah were members of the Haqqani network responsible for the worsening insurgency in eastern Afghanistan... . Its strange how in a matter of one paragraph the people killed turn from 'suspected militants' to '....members of the Haqqani network responsible for the worsening insurgency in eastern Afghanistan...' I have always wondered how drone operators (sorry for lack of terminology) know where the Haqqani network members are hiding? Do they like wear a badge? Or are their clothes more shabbier? Or are their beards more vehshi? Or are they holding firearms such as those in Karachi? Even if they are holding firearms in a house (see news paragraph above) how do the drone operators see that? Or did the house perhaps resemble the one where Osama was hiding? Perhaps the drone lovers above can shed some light on that ?
@Ali: Aray! ------ Since when Imran Khan is for life ? ------ he seems to be more interested in 'after life' (not his though!) -------- I support Imran Khan not for life but for "afterlife"!
for every terrorist at least 35 inocent people die in drone attacks so why dont they drop an atom bomb and get it over with kill every body at once why take such a slow road killing a few inocent people every day
@ M.Akhtar, jalnay walay ka moo kala Imran Khan for life !
These liberal fascist have just gone mad i believe..US is killing our innocent Muslims and these so called liberals are endorsing this act..Shame On u guyz!..
Good job! ----------- Get them all, irrespective of their names and guise, anyone with any terroristic involvement, inclination or sympathy must be taken out by any means and all means including this wonderful equipment of cleansing the mess. It's quick and it's clean, no boots on or anywhere on the ground and ----- I like it!
@M: Which world do you live in?You have your head in the sand!
About time too !! As the Pak Army is not going to do anything in NW, time US really started this action. There should be few more of these attacks on daily basis, and that really would rattle those Strtegic Assets, out of their holes. Well Done Uncle Sam !! Keep up the Good Work, on behalf of rest of humanity !!!
They are not militants they are Muslims who offer prayers and fast and don't want US interference in their life. If they can not save themselves and their families from Drones how can they be threat to USA ? Do they have technology by which they can attack USA ? Definitely not. Did they ever attack Pakistan before Pakistan waged a war on them ? No they never did. They are being hit because they are Muslims and some of them want Sharia.
Since Shia minority has suffered by the hands of Taliban both in Pakistan and Afghanistan some of them support Drone attacks but they should remember if what Taliban did to them is wrong then supporting USA is also wrong.
@shafaqat ali: LOLS....LOLS.....LOLS.....LOLS
So, this is the way to do justice, great ... So please shut down, judiciary, courts, law universities. How do you say they were terrorists, do you have any evidences, which law, court allow and support such type of illegal act, and immature people are supporting drones. This is just the law of jungle, they entered iraq, by claiming that Saddam is preparing chemical weapons and it is still not proved while more than 300000 innocent muslims killed in Iraq.
@Neutralist: Read Saleem Shahzad's book. Quite revealing.
@ ExPakistani: haha, Haqqanis waged a war on the US..? Good shot!
Haqqani network should not be fighting Afghan wars from Pakistani soil. They deserved to be hit by drones.
@shafaqat ali: You probably should have waited for the Karachi mess to quiet down before making such a statement. Getting back your logic's credibility is far harder than losing it.
Great Hit. CIA is doing us a great favor by eliminating terrorists on our land free of cost. Our Army is incapable of tackling these monsters which are being nicely taken care of by the drones. I think that our Govt should confer "Nishan-e-Pakistan" upon the CIA station chief in Islamabad for doing such a great job to serve our nation by eliminating terrorists which our Army dreads to confront. PAKISTAN ZINDABAD. CIA PAINDABAD.
Allah will keep punishing Pakistan with natural disasters till such time the country gets rid of all the terrorists. Allah has been punishing Pakistan with earthquakes and floods ever since Osama came and started living in Pakistan. Thank God Osama is no more! Other terrorists should be eliminated soon as well. The magnitude and the scale of the next natural disaster in Pakistan will give us an idea if Pakistan is on the right track.
@ ex-Pakistani who made these terrorist groups and supported them n used them against soviet union? who attacked iraq and killed more than 10 lakh people i.e "civilians" not even "suspected criminals" in iraq and afterwards who said that we could not find any WMDs ? What you expect of the victims of iraq war to be? why dont we PAK-US talk to taliban and try to figure out the root causes rather fighting and killing hundreds of innocent people. ok ,good if some of the real militants died in this strike, but what about the civilians who become a target just because they are living there. I wish we all find peace on earth.
Is any one there to stop American terrorists?????????
COAS ...wake-up ...innocent citizens are being killed by American terrorist via drones ...pls pls pls...i think army is paid for protecting citizens of Pakistan..........
Don't be so happy people, we don't know if these 'suspected' militants were even militants or innocent people...
@Adnan Bush was responsiuble for the WTC, not the Taliban.
why not taliban and haqani people killed pakistanis before 911.
I expect to see a lot of criticism from the Pakistanis whenever terrorists are targeted. @Ex Pakistani, what are you now? A Baloch?
@Frank: Absolutely true! they are but then please ask them to do it from their soil not ours.... Have you read Saleem Shahzad's book? Please read it.. it is an eye opener.. will help you understand why he was killed
I wish we could understand its an attack on PAK not on few people. We are a country with law enforecement departments functional and we can pretty much take care of our own issues. I think we were doing it pretty well since inception untill US invasion in this part of the world. we, the bloggers, should atleast know what is good for PAK and what isn't. Its our country after all. Don't put personal like dislike ahead of national interest.
@Pakistan zindabad: Well I havent waged war on US.... haqqanis have... If they kill US then US will kill them.. rules of engagement isnt it. I never condoned or condemned. you can curse me as much as you like. One day you will have to accept we are duped by these mullahs to wage a war which was never ours and when we did these people killed more than 36000 pakistanis. Everyone conveniently forgets this
Our Army is unfit even to collect the dead bodies of these terrorists leave alone killing them. They only know to eat peoples taxes and maintain huge bank balances here and in foreign countries.
more militants got killed.
Thank you Mr Drone for taking care of our terrorists!!!!!!
@Umair siddiqui: Why, when not in karachi first? where dozen of people killed by mutahida terrorists?
@Ex Pakistani: and I wish your him should be hit and then you type here the same type of comments.
The biggest terrorist is US but no one dare to say the truth, the people only assume the truth that US says. Never forget Allah, the supreme power.
another few bites the dust.
Maulana imran khan & his confused fans wont like it.
The Haqqani group are not terrorists.They are fighting the foreign invaders of their country. Being an enemy of America does not make you a terrorist. Dear liberals, where the hell is your self-respect and dignity? Do you have any left?
Maulana Imran Khan`s dharna seems to be ineffective!
may allah bless the droens,they are doing great work.these drones kill of the religious terrorists free of cost for us,our army is saved from going into these difficult areas and risking the lives of our soldiers.the americans should increase the frequency of these drone attacks so more of the islamic fanatics are eliminated before they get a chance to blow up bombs in our cities. we should also try to develop drones of our own so that once america leaves this region we are not left helpless but when america leaves we should have our own drones to kill all these religious terrorists.
so sad
So sad, to say Ramadan is in progress and bloody Americans are doing the same things which they were repeating before Ramadan. No problem I hope soon Tailban will attack on UsA same as world trade centre.
Eik sitam aur meri jaan abhi jaan baqi hy .... alas they believe it very strongly ...
Two very recent incidents British riots and mischievous adventures of a Norwegian national points toward a bitter reality yet to come. If ignored and not dealt properly the world may no longer be a peaceful place. This so-called war on terror is now yielding its true face as individuals have started using it as a tool to create panic and chaos. The fear and hysteria created by terrorism is enough to produce a chain reaction that cause destruction at an unimaginable scale. I doubt if they knew its consequences well-enough who coined the term terrorism as the word lacked a precise definition in dictionaries before and now it has emerged as an unseen and unthoughtful phenomena. It might take few more decades before a precise meaning and definition can be given to this phenomena. Undoubtedly the new generation can only curse on those who yield to them a reality that they never deserved for.
Let Army go to North Waziristan and take on the Haqqani terrorists.
Good shot!
well done. coz v r not capable to get rid of these terrorists. Army should concentrate on these areas and not on Karachi. Gov must act on Karachi.
And we think they are not precision attack