US drone strike kills 5 militants in South Waziristan

[Daredevil]

The US conducted its first strike in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal areas this year, killing five "militants," according to reports.

The remotely piloted Predators or the more deadly Reapers, which are operated by the CIA, attacked "a house suspected of being a militant hideout," according to Xinhua. Four of the unmanned strike aircraft are thought to have been circling the compound before firing four missiles just after midnight.

Five "militants" are thought to have been killed, but their identities have not been disclosed. No senior al Qaeda or Taliban leaders are known to have been killed.

Today's strike is the first in Pakistan this year. Last year, the US launched 46 strikes in Pakistan, according to data compiled by The Long War Journal. In 2011, the US launched 64 strikes; in 2010, when the program was at its peak, there were 117 strikes.

The program was ramped up by President George W. Bush in the summer of 2008 (35 strikes were launched that year) and continued under President Barack Obama after he took office in 2009 (53 strikes that year). From 2004-2007, only 10 strikes were recorded. Although some of al Qaeda's top leaders have been killed in drone strikes since the program began in 2004, al Qaeda has been able to replace those lost in the attacks. [For data on the strikes, see LWJ reports, Charting the data for US airstrikes in Pakistan, 2004 - 2013; and Senior al Qaeda and Taliban leaders killed in US airstrikes in Pakistan, 2004 - 2013.]

Strike takes place in territory controlled by "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 joined the Shura-e-Murakeba, an alliance brokered by al Qaeda in late 2011. 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.

In June 2012, 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. His action followed that of Hafiz Gul Bahadar, who shut down the program in North Waziristan earlier that month.

Read more: US drone strike kills 5 'militants' in South Waziristan - The Long War Journal

 

[Daredevil]

Well Drone-acharya opened its account in 'South Waziristan' killin 5 militants. This drone attack is significant because it targeted 'good taliban' backed by Pakistani Army after a long hiatus. From the looks of it, US/NATO might be upping the ante against 'Good Taliban' and consequently Pakistani Army. This will only rile up 'Bad Taliban' to target Pakistani Army even more.

 

[Singh]

Wow so ilyas Kashmiri is now member of alQaeda.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[Daredevil]

Ilyas Kashmiri was part of The 313 Brigade, an operational arm of the al-Qaeda. He is dead now.

 

[Singh]

Ilyas Kashmiri was part of The 313 Brigade, an operational arm of the al-Qaeda. He is dead now.

I thought Kashmiri's body wasn't found?
He was a member of Pakistani military


Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[Daredevil]

I thought Kashmiri's body wasn't found?
He was a member of Pakistani military

Its a possibility that he is still alive but it is being kept secret by PA, possibly using him as 'strategic asset'

 

[datguy79]

Holy crap! Apparently a second drone strike killed Mullah Nazir! He is one of the 4 major Taliban commanders.

U.S. drone strike kills important Taliban commander: sources | Reuters

Nazir off to meet his 72 hur ul ayn. :crusin:

 

[Daredevil]

A big setback to 'good taliban' and Pakistani Army.

Only Haqqanis, Mullah Omar, Gul Bahadur and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar are left from the 'good taliban' backed by Pakistani Army are left. Its only a matter of time that they get their 72 virgins facilitated by drone attacks.

Pakistan: U.S. Drone Strikes Kill 13, Including Militant Commander Maulvi Nazir

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A pair of U.S. drone strikes in northwest Pakistan near the Afghan border killed 13 people Thursday, including a senior militant commander who had a truce with the Pakistani military, intelligence officials and residents said.

Five Pakistani security officials said the commander, Maulvi Nazir, was reportedly among nine people killed in a missile strike on a house in the village of Angoor Adda in the South Waziristan tribal region early Thursday. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

Nazir's killing could prove to be a contentious issue between Washington and Islamabad, which is believed to have struck a nonaggression pact with Nazir ahead of the Pakistani military's 2009 operation against militants in South Waziristan.

Militants under Nazir's command focused their attacks on American forces in neighboring Afghanistan, earning the militant leader the enmity of the U.S. But Pakistan's military viewed Nazir and militant chiefs like him as key to keeping the peace internally because they do not attack Pakistani targets.

Residents in both Angoor Adda and Wana, the biggest town in South Waziristan, said they heard announcements on mosque loudspeakers announcing Nazir's death. One resident, Ajaz Khan, told The Associated Press by telephone that 5,000 to 10,000 people attended the funeral of Nazir and six other people in held in Angoor Adda.

Reports of individual deaths are difficult to independently verify. It is difficult for Pakistani and foreign journalists to travel to the remote areas where many of these strikes occur, and the U.S. rarely comments on its secretive drone program.

The second drone strike took place near Mir Ali, the main town of the North Waziristan tribal region. One missile hit a vehicle near the town, followed by another missile when people rushed to the vehicle to help people in the car. The officials say four people were killed in the strike, although the identities of the dead were not immediately known.

Nazir was attacked by a suicide bomber in November as he was arriving at an office he used to meet with locals and hear their complaints. Nazir and more than a dozen other people were wounded in the attack, and seven people were killed.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion immediately fell on rival militants who have been jockeying with Nazir for power in South Waziristan.

Nazir outraged many Pakistanis in June when he announced that he would not allow any polio vaccinations in territory under his control until the U.S. stops drone attacks in the region. Pakistan is one of three countries where polio is still endemic. Nine workers helping in anti-polio vaccination campaigns were killed last month by militant gunmen.

The former chief of intelligence in northwest Pakistan, retired brigadier Asad Munir, said Nazir's killing will complicate the fight against militants in the tribal region, and could prompt Nazir's group to carry out retaliatory attacks against the Pakistani army in South Waziristan.

It will also raise questions among military commanders here who would like the U.S. to use its firepower against the Pakistani Taliban, which attacks domestic targets, and not against militants like Nazir who aren't seen as posing as much of a threat to the Pakistani state, Munir said.

He added that the risk now for Pakistan is that the remnants of Nazir's group could join ranks with the Pakistani Taliban in its war with the government and army.

The American drone program is extremely controversial in Pakistan where it is seen as an infringement of the country's sovereignty. And while the U.S. maintains that it targets militants, many Pakistanis complain that innocent civilians have also been killed.

America's use of drones has increased substantially under President Barack Obama. According to the Long War Journal, which tracks drone strikes, there were 35 strikes in Pakistan during 2008, the last year President George W. Bush was in office.

In 2009, that number went up to 53 and then shot up to 117 in 2010, the year with the most drone strikes in Pakistani territory. Last year, the U.S. carried out 46 strikes, and the Thursday strike that killed Nazir was the first of 2013.

The program has killed a number of top militant commanders over the past year, including al-Qaida's then-No. 2, Abu Yahya al-Libi, who died in a drone strike in June on the Pakistani village of Khassu Khel in North Waziristan.

In August, another missile strike in North Waziristan killed Badruddin Haqqani, who has been described as the day-to-day operations commander of the Haqqani network, which has been blamed by the U.S. for carrying out some of the most high-profile attacks against American and NATO troops in Afghanistan.

 

[rock127]

Holy crap! Apparently a second drone strike killed Mullah Nazir! He is one of the 4 major Taliban commanders.

U.S. drone strike kills important Taliban commander: sources | Reuters

Nazir off to meet his 72 hur ul ayn. :crusin:

Nazir meeting one of his 72 hur ul ay below...

 

[Blackwater]

Drone attacks unacceptable: Pakistan

Drone attacks unacceptable: Pakistan - geo.tv

 

[rock127]

Drone attacks unacceptable: Pakistan

Drone attacks unacceptable: Pakistan - geo.tv

kafir ka haram ka $$$ is acceptable.

 

[farhan_9909]

so just 3 months now

instead of drone strike..the drones will be striked off by PAF

 

[Blackwater]

so just 3 months now

instead of drone strike..the drones will be striked off by PAF

4 crore jail vote ha bhaaijaan. Apke imran khan ne admit kiya ha

 

[datguy79]

so just 3 months now

instead of drone strike..the drones will be striked off by PAF

There has yet to be a PAF pilot born with the courage to take on Uncle Sam

 

[Daredevil]

so just 3 months now

instead of drone strike..the drones will be striked off by PAF

You cannot strike at your benefactor/master. To do that you have to stop begging US for aid and hand outs. Even after that you need courage to take on US might.