CIA Conducted 27 Drone Attacks in Pakistan in 2013 Which Killed 181 People, Report

January 3, 2014

Only 27 drone attacks in 2013

Waseem Abbasi

The News International (Karachi), January 2, 2013

Islamabad

Amidst mounting political pressure from Pakistan, the US administration was forced to significantly reduce the number of deadly drone attacks in the country in 2013. The year witnessed 27 drone attacks, which killed 181 people.

However, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)-run drone campaign accounted for some high-profile militant killings including that of former Chief of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Hakeemullah Mehsud and his deputy Wali ur Rehman Mehsud, during the year.

According to a study by the Conflict Monitoring Centre, an Islamabad based independent think tank, the CIA carried out 27 drone strikes in Pakistan in 2013, the lowest number of such attacks since 2007.

However despite reduction in the numbers of attacks the scope of drone strikes has widened during 2013 as the CIA extended its drone strikes beyond FATA by hitting a madrassa in Hangu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK).

During the year, drone strikes killed some senior militant commanders including Al-Qaeda commanders Sheikh Yaseen As Sumali, Sheikh Abu Majid Al-Iraq, Sheikh Abu Waqas, and Abu Ubaidullah Abdullah Al-Adam.

Overall, the unmanned US planes killed 181 people in Pakistan during the year including some senior militant commanders. Since 2004, the CIA-operated drones have killed 3306 people in 391 strikes inside Pakistan, most of them unknown suspected militants and hundreds of civilians.

Last year witnessed a change of government in Pakistan with anti-drone political parties assuming government at the centre and in three provinces.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif raised the issue of drone attacks at the UN General Assembly. During the year, Pakistan gained some achievements at the diplomatic front against drone strikes. In December 2013, the General Assembly declared that drone strikes are violation of international law.

At the start of the year, the CIA had intensified drone strikes in Pakistan and carried out six attacks in the first ten days of 2013.

However, the number of strikes reduced to two for the next three months.

In May and June, number of drone strikes was further reduced to one strike per month. However, in July the number rose to three strikes.

In August, October and December only one strike per month was reported while four and three drone strikes were reported in September and November 2013 respectively.

In North Waziristan, 22 drone strikes were carried out in which 131 people were killed and 83 injured. Four strikes were witnessed in South Waziristan where 44 people were killed and 24 injured.

While the federal government initiated campaign against drone strikes at the international level in 2013, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) kept the public protest alive.

A change in approach was seen during the year 2013, as the CIA tried to limit ‘signature’ attacks in which generally unknown suspected militants were killed. Mounting public pressure in Pakistan and criticism at the international level forced the powerful American agency to focus more on militant commanders and lowering collateral damage.

However, the damage had already been done as excessive use of drone strikes against suspected militants, funeral prayers and rescue teams sparked international condemnation of the drone campaign. UN special rapporteur Ben Emmerson declared that drone strikes violated Pakistan’s sovereignty. Citizen of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Fata have been protesting for almost one and half month.

Drone strikes remained one of the most controversial issues between US and Pakistan. The CIA has kept alive its tradition of droning, during or right after high level visits of Pakistani leaders/officials to U.S.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif criticised the drone attacks in his speech in the UN General Assembly and termed them a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and international law. However, the CIA responded with drone attacks on 29th and 30th of September respectively just two and three days after his speech. A ‘welcome’ drone attack was also carried out on September 22 when Nawaz Sharif left Pakistan for U.S. to attend the UNGA session.

Elimination of Hakeemullah Mehsud by drone strike during backdoor negotiations sparked public protest in KPK where ruling PTI along with its ally Jamat-e-Islami blocked Nato supply through the province.

The protest forced Nato to stop supply to and from Afghanistan through Torkham border and resorted to Chaman crossing in Balochistan.

Despite continuing public protests, blockade of Nato supply and condemnation at international level, the US has not shown any signs that it will abandon the drone strikes in Pakistan. Three drone attacks have been reported after the PTI-JI campaign, including one in Hangu district of KP province.