January 26 2015: The first reported US drone strike of the year killed three people travelling in a vehicle in central-southern Yemen. This was the first attack since Houthi insurgents forced the country’s president Abdu Rabbu al Mansour Hadi, his prime minister and cabinet to resign. #drone #drones #yemen (at Hareeb, Shabwa-Mareb border)
An artwork, 2012-2015, by James Bridle. All reports from The Bureau of Investigative Journalism and other confirmed sources. Also on Instagram and Twitter. More information: http://booktwo.org/notebook/dronestagram-drones-eye-view
Dronestagram
January 19 2015: CIA drones targeted a house in Shawal area of North Waziristan killing five, six or seven people. The identities of the dead was not immediately known however a senior Pakistani official said “non-Pakistani, foreign fighters” were among the dead and Taliban sources said the attack also killed local fighters associated with Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur. This was the third of four strikes to reportedly target Bahadur himself, or men loyal to him. The Pakistani government condemned the strike as a breach of sovereignty – a reiteration of its official position on the drone attacks. #drone #drones #pakistan (at Shahi Khel, Shawal, North Waziristan)
January 15 2015: A second strike of the day killed 4-7 people according to anonymous Pakistani sources. At least two of the dead were reportedly Uzbeks. According to Express Tribune five people died when the strike hit and two more later succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack. #drone #drones #pakistan (at Spilgai, Ladha district, South Waziristan)
January 15 2015: The second strike of the year killed 5-7 people in a strike on a house. The CIA drones reportedly hit the building with two missiles, setting it on fire. One report had that the building was being used by al Qaeda operatives. A second report said all the dead were “foreigners”. A third report described the building as a base used by fighters loyal to Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur. There were rumours that Bahadur was present at the time of the strike, according to The News, though these appear to have been false. Contemporaneous reports suggested the strikes at the end of 2014 and into 2015 were targeted at Bahadur. #drone #drones #pakistan (at Shawal, North Waziristan)
January 4 2015: The first CIA strike of 2015 killed at least six and as many as 10 people. The dead were reportedly Uzbeks and members of the Pakistan Taliban (TTP) associated group loyal to veteran commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur. There were reports Bahadur may have died in the strike. His group is responsible for cross-border attacks against US and allied troops. His death, if confirmed, would be considered a major success for the CIA’s drone programme. The strike hit in the early hours, reportedly targeting one or two houses, as well as possibly a vehicle. The strike “targeted a base of an Uzbek commander known as Usman, killing six Uzbek militants. Two militants are wounded,” a Pakistan security official told the New York Times. It was not clear if Usman was in the building at the time of the attack. #drone #drones #pakistan (at Shawal Tangi, North Waziristan)
December 26 2014: This second strike of the day hit either a vehicle or a house “minutes” after the first. Every source for this strike said the dead were Uzbeks, though it is not clear if this refers to their ethnicity or their nationality. #drone #drones #pakistan (at Kund/Kundghar village, Shawal, North Waziristan)
December 26 2014: CIA drones reportedly killed four or five people in a strike that hit a building in the Shawal valley. The strike reportedly killed members of the Punjabi Taliban. This was the first of two strikes that hit in quick succession. This and the subsequent strike came on the same day the Pakistan military killed at least 39 people in a series of air strikes in the area around Datta Khel. #drone #drones #pakistan (at Kund/Kundghar village, Shawal, North Waziristan)
December 20 2014: A US drone strike killed at least four militants, according to security officials. The strike reportedly killed militants who fought under local Pakistani taliban leader Hafiz Gul Bahadur. According to several sources two missiles were fired at a compound. None of the dead have been identified, but there are reports that a high value target was killed in the strike. The Express Tribune, citing tribal sources, reported the dead “included one Arab and three Uzbek fighters – two of them members of the banned Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP).” A senior security official told AFP: “A US drone fired two missiles at a compound in Mada Khail neighbourhood of Datta Khail area in North Waziristan killing six persons. The death toll is expected to rise.” #drone #drones #pakistan (at Datta Khel area, North Waziristan)
December 7 2014: CIA drones reportedly killed at least four people possibly including a named, alleged senior al Qaeda fighter. However this has been rejected by the Pakistan military which denies a strike even took place. The attack reportedly came at 6am local time and destroyed a house and vehicle. Up to six were reported killed, four were described as foreigners and two as locals. The occupants were said to be fighters loyal to Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a commander who previously had been an ally of Pakistan but ended whatever accord existed with Islamabad when the Pakistan Army moved into North Waziristan in June 2014. The dead were reportedly buried in local graveyards and the injured taken to local clinics. #drone #drones #pakistan (at Khar Tangi village, Datta Khel area, North Waziristan)
December 6 2014: Drones supported the US-led raid on Dafaar in southeastern Shabwa province. In the course of the raid, two hostages, UK-born US photographer Luke Somers and South African teacher Pierre Korkie were killed, alongside eleven others, including a woman and 10-year old child. #drone #drones #yemen (at Dafaar, Shabwa province)