SgtJim
04-13-2011, 05:45 PM
By Bill Roggio
April 13, 2011
Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/04/us_predator_strike_k_8.php#ixzz1JRSdQnuL
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US Predator strike kills 6 Haqqani Network fighters in South Waziristan
The CIA has carried out its first airstrike in Pakistan's tribal areas against the Taliban and al Qaeda since the March 17 attack that sparked protests from top Pakistani government and military officials.
Today's strike took place in the town of Angoor Adda in South Waziristan, an area under the influence of South Waziristan Taliban warlord Mullah Nazir. Unmanned Predators or Reapers fired four missiles at a pickup truck transporting fighters from the Haqqani Network, the al Qaeda-linked Taliban subgroup, Pakistani intelligence officials told AFP (http://www.dawn.com/2011/04/13/six-died-in-first-drone-strike-after-spy-chiefs%E2%80%99-meeting.html).
Six Haqqani Network fighters were reported to have been killed. A local official claimed that all of those killed were from Afghanistan. No senior al Qaeda, Taliban, or Haqqani Network leaders were reported to have been killed.
Today's strike is the first in Pakistan's tribal areas since the deadly March 17 strike in Datta Khel (http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/03/us_predators_strike_22.php) that killed more than 30 people, including 10 Taliban fighters and a senior lieutenant loyal to North Waziristan Taliban leader Hafiz Gul Bahadar. Pakistani officials, including General Pervaz Kayani, the top military commander, denounced the strike (http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/03/pakistans_army_chief.php) and claimed that everyone killed was a civilian attending a jirga, or council, to resolve a local mining dispute. But the Taliban were reported to have mediated the jirga.
After the March 17 strike, the Predator program was placed on hold, and reports indicated that Pakistan was to officially request that the the US curtail or even end the operation (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704662604576257273696136418.html?m od=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories#articleTabs%3Darticle). But a US official told ABC News (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/04/despite-us-pakistan-tensions-aired-at-cia-hq-cia-drone-strike-will-continue-officials-say.html) yesterday that the CIA had no intention of ending the program, as top al Qaeda leaders continue to shelter in Pakistan's tribal areas.
Today's strike also took place one day after a meeting between the top intelligence chiefs of the US and Pakistan. Yesterday, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence directorate chief Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha and CIA Director Leon Panetta met in Washington to discuss the deteriorating relationship between the two agencies after a series of disagreements, most recently over CIA contractor Raymond Davis, who was detained by Pakistani police after killing two men in Lahore.
April 13, 2011
Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/04/us_predator_strike_k_8.php#ixzz1JRSdQnuL
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US Predator strike kills 6 Haqqani Network fighters in South Waziristan
The CIA has carried out its first airstrike in Pakistan's tribal areas against the Taliban and al Qaeda since the March 17 attack that sparked protests from top Pakistani government and military officials.
Today's strike took place in the town of Angoor Adda in South Waziristan, an area under the influence of South Waziristan Taliban warlord Mullah Nazir. Unmanned Predators or Reapers fired four missiles at a pickup truck transporting fighters from the Haqqani Network, the al Qaeda-linked Taliban subgroup, Pakistani intelligence officials told AFP (http://www.dawn.com/2011/04/13/six-died-in-first-drone-strike-after-spy-chiefs%E2%80%99-meeting.html).
Six Haqqani Network fighters were reported to have been killed. A local official claimed that all of those killed were from Afghanistan. No senior al Qaeda, Taliban, or Haqqani Network leaders were reported to have been killed.
Today's strike is the first in Pakistan's tribal areas since the deadly March 17 strike in Datta Khel (http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/03/us_predators_strike_22.php) that killed more than 30 people, including 10 Taliban fighters and a senior lieutenant loyal to North Waziristan Taliban leader Hafiz Gul Bahadar. Pakistani officials, including General Pervaz Kayani, the top military commander, denounced the strike (http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/03/pakistans_army_chief.php) and claimed that everyone killed was a civilian attending a jirga, or council, to resolve a local mining dispute. But the Taliban were reported to have mediated the jirga.
After the March 17 strike, the Predator program was placed on hold, and reports indicated that Pakistan was to officially request that the the US curtail or even end the operation (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704662604576257273696136418.html?m od=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories#articleTabs%3Darticle). But a US official told ABC News (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/04/despite-us-pakistan-tensions-aired-at-cia-hq-cia-drone-strike-will-continue-officials-say.html) yesterday that the CIA had no intention of ending the program, as top al Qaeda leaders continue to shelter in Pakistan's tribal areas.
Today's strike also took place one day after a meeting between the top intelligence chiefs of the US and Pakistan. Yesterday, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence directorate chief Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha and CIA Director Leon Panetta met in Washington to discuss the deteriorating relationship between the two agencies after a series of disagreements, most recently over CIA contractor Raymond Davis, who was detained by Pakistani police after killing two men in Lahore.