The United States continues to increase drone attacks in the Arabian Peninsula country of Yemen.
On March 30, 2012, at least five people were killed, and a natural gas pipeline was blown up after a U.S. drone strike near Shabwa.
Official U.S. statements say they targeted “suspected” al Qaeda militants, one missile hit a car, the other missile hit a building. Witnesses say a another vehicle was struck, killing everyone inside. It was an entire family. U.S. officials have no comment.
There are also reports that a drone attack hit a natural gas pipeline. U.S. officials claim the “suspected” militants blew up the pipeline after the drone strike.
According to Australia’s Brisbane Times, the United States has dramatically increased the use of drones in Yemen. In May 2011, Peaceprize winner, Barack Obama, ordered an increase of drone strikes. The result was at least 26 drone strikes in Yemen (keep in mind that officially the U.S. wasn’t supposed to be involved in Yemen). Now, since January 2012 there have been at least nine drone strikes, five just in the month of March 2012.
It’s not just the number of drone strikes, the number of people being killed in each drone strike is going up as well. London’s City University, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, reports that as many as 516 people have been killed in Yemen, with as many as 105 confirmed as civilians (including five pregnant women and 22 children), not “suspected” militants.
Another issue is the fact that many parts of Yemen are without electrical power. The main reason is that power plants are repeatedly targeted, by U.S. and anti-government Mujahideen.
The latest case involves families who lost loved ones due to U.S. drone strikes. They are now attacking power stations demanding compensation for the loss of their relatives: “Victims of U.S. drone strikes constituted that the majority of locals attacked the electricity supply because their demands for compensation after the attack were not addressed.”-Saeed Ali al-Yousifi, The Yemen Observer
On March 25, 2012, the power station in Marib Province was attacked and shut down by an angry mob. The angry crowd included people who had been victims of past drone attacks, including the family of a young man who lost both legs in a May, 2010, U.S. drone attack.
On March 31, the United States attacked the northeastern African country of Somalia, with drones. A Somali official, Hussein Mohamed Uraag, says several missiles were fired into the western portion of the city of Mogadishu. At least 18 people were killed.
In South Asia, despite demands from Pakistan’s parliament, to stop drone attacks, on March 30 the U.S. destroyed a house with a drone strike. At least four people were killed.
The attack took place in North Waziristan, officials say the targeted people were from Uzbekistan.
On April 1, the Pakistani Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS), announced that they will tie the ending of U.S. drone attacks to continued support for U.S./NATO supply convoys through Pakistan.
Pakistani Army Chief General, Ashfraq Pervez Kayani, said NATO has so far not contacted the Pakistani military regarding renewed support for U.S./NATO/ISAF supply convoys.
Pakistani Senator, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, said NATO should not be allowed to transport weapons through Pakistan, and that all other supplies will be allowed only if the United States stops drone attacks.
Maulana Abdul Maalik Wazir, National Assembly of Pakistan, said all NATO supply routes should be shut down, no more negotiating!
Pakistani Senator, Mudassir Sehar Kamran, demanded the United States pay for past damages caused by U.S. drone strikes!
On March 29, it was reported that Australia will be arming it’s troops in the Central Asian country of Afghanistan, with more surveillance drones.
It’s called the Shadow 200 Tactical Unmanned Aerial System (TUAS), and was first used by the U.S. in the Middle Eastern country of Iraq. It is used for recon purposes. It’s still used by U.S. forces.
April 6, 2012, will be the year anniversary of the first known case of U.S. forces killing two of their own with a Predator terror drone strike: “The two-man Predator crew responsible for this particular airstrike not only destroyed a young Navy corpsman’s life but also destroyed the lives of his entire family.”-Robert Rast, father of one of the victims
On April 6, 2011, a U.S. Navy corpsman, and a USMC Staff Sergeant, were killed in Afghanistan by a USAF Captain operating a Predator drone from his base in Nevada!
A 385 page report puts the blame on the U.S. Air Force for failing to communicate with U.S. Marines on the ground in Afghanistan: “Information was available to the Predator crew that potentially could have increased the commander’s understanding of the situation, but this information was not communicated to Marines on the ground who were directing the attack….In the final analysis the chain of events that led to Staff Sgt. Smith and (Hospitalman) Rast being targeted and ultimately killed by friendly fire was initiated by the on-scene ground force commander’s lack of overall situational awareness and the inability to accurately communicate his friendly force disposition with respect to the enemy.”