Most killed in drone strikes are militants : GOC 7 Div

[sparklingway]

Most of those killed in drone attacks were terrorists: military
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MIRAMSHAH: In a rather rare move, the Pakistan military for the first time gave the official version of US drone attacks in the tribal region and said that most of those killed were hardcore Al Qaeda and Taliban terrorists and a fairly large number of them were of foreign origin.

General Officer Commanding 7-Division Maj-Gen Ghayur Mehmood said in a briefing here: “Myths and rumours about US predator strikes and the casualty figures are many, but it’s a reality that many of those being killed in these strikes are hardcore elements, a sizeable number of them foreigners.

“Yes there are a few civilian casualties in such precision strikes, but a majority of those eliminated are terrorists, including foreign terrorist elements.”

The Military’s 7-Dvision’s official paper on the attacks till Monday said that between 2007 and 2011 about 164 predator strikes had been carried out and over 964 terrorists had been killed.

Of those killed, 793 were locals and 171 foreigners, including Arabs, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Chechens, Filipinos and Moroccans.

In 2007, one missile strike left one militant dead while the year 2010 was the deadliest when the attacks had left more than 423 terrorists dead.

In 2008, 23 drone strikes killed 152 militants, 12 of them were foreigners or affiliated with Al Qaeda.

In 2009, around 20 predator strikes were carried out, killing 179 militants, including 20 foreigners, and in the following year 423 militants, including 133 foreigners, were killed in 103 strikes.

In attacks till March 7 this year, 39 militants, including five foreigners, were killed.

Maj-Gen Ghayur, who is in-charge of troops in North Waziristan, admitted that the drone attacks had negative fallout, scaring the local population and causing their migration to other places.

Gen Ghayur said the drone attacks also had social and political repercussions and law-enforcement agencies often felt the heat.

About the cross-border movement of terrorists along the Pak-Afghan border, he said: “Well we have over 820 checkposts along the border to stop militant movement and there is strict vigilance, but unfrequented routes are an exception for which alternate means, including intelligence-sharing between coalition troops and the army, are in place.”

Most of those killed in drone attacks were terrorists: military | Newspaper | DAWN.COM

 

[TruthSeeker]

So,
FATA people are scared by the strikes. That is understandable. But the hysteria surrounding these strikes has been hugely counterproductive to the need to rid Pakistan of the very people these drone strikes kill. Would that the Pakistani "establishment" felt that it could have an honest discourse about the drones with the Pakistani people.

 

[Pak_Sher]

All of the women, elderly and children killed in drone strikes were militants? Is this PDF or CNN or Fox News. Pakistan Army is not the word of God, and this is just to cover their misdeeds.

 

[TruthSeeker]

All of the women, elderly and children killed in drone strikes were militants? Is this PDF or CNN or Fox News. Pakistan Army is not the word of God, and this is just to cover their misdeeds.

The point is Pak_Sher, no one really knows who is killed in most drone strikes because the militants quickly control the strike scene. After that, it is impossible to separate out the Taliban propaganda from the facts. You don't really know a lot of women, children and old men have been killed except those few who were sharing the same campfire with the militants themselves. If a militant is holding his child in his arms at the time of the drone strike then it is the militant's actions that have resulted in the death of the innocent child. If the Pakistani Army had their children and wives staying with them at their outposts, and the Taliban attacks and kills their women and children, wouldn't you blame the Pakistan Army for putting their "innocent" family members in harm's way? The Taliban actually benefits from using their relatives as shields. Their presence reduces drone strikes and when a strike does kill a child, they make maximum propaganda out of it to influence people such as yourself to hate their enemy.

 

[Roybot]

All of the women, elderly and children killed in drone strikes were militants? Is this PDF or CNN or Fox News. Pakistan Army is not the word of God, and this is just to cover their misdeeds.

You don't believe your own army now? Ever thought if the whole world is not agreeing with you, maybe the whole world is right and not you?

 

[Tin Man]

The military should have issued this statement much earlier rather than allowing the public opinion to cement. Too late....but i guess its worth something.

 

[kursed]

Just about a year ago, Army was talking about stopping the drone strikes. So why the sudden PR push from ISPR? What changed?

Gen. Kiyani: PressTV - Kayani urges US to halt strikes on Pakistan

 

[TaimiKhan]

I have no idea why you guys are behaving like as something new has been said or something which we have not heard before.

Do take into consideration that he used the word Most, he did talk abut civilian casualties happening and those are the ones which makes things go bad.

And for those who are giving the example of having families at their posts and other blah blah blah, do remember, for PA this is operational area, but for the militants / mujaheddins it is their home ground, meaning it is their villages and homes that we are talking about, its not a frontline for them. And looking at the US record of air strikes in Afghanistan and Iraq, killing scores of only civilians with no Taliban or militants around, it can safely be assumed that such blunders would be happening on this side too. So kindly don't give us the excuse that the predator or US personnel could not see what the militant was holding at the time of firing their missiles. Simple as that, to eliminate one target of interest, US is willing to kill a 100 civilians, as to them lives of people other then their own country has no meaning. We clearly saw that with the US having killed civilians in thousands and thousands or in other words many times over in their pursuit of taking revenge for the nearly 3,000 they suffered or should i say we were showed that they suffered at the hands of someone else. Same US, supporting Israel who killed thousands of civilians in revenge for just a few.

So, yeah the drone strikes may be killing militants / mujs more, but civilians are also coming into their firing sights and not by mistake, but deliberately, which has negative fall out.

 

[kursed]

Taimur, it's new because Army has never really 'owned' drone strikes in the past. If it's being done now, there's to be a reason for it. No one just comes out and says it aloud, just for the heck of it - not in military circles. If we're in fact changing the public face of our policy vis a vis drone strikes, the people need to know why.

 

[TaimiKhan]

Taimur, it's new because Army has never really 'owned' drone strikes in the past. If it's being done now, there's to be a reason for it. No one just comes out and says it aloud, just for the heck of it - not in military circles. If we're in fact changing the public face of our policy vis a vis drone strikes, the people need to know why.

where is the drone strikes being owned ?? Did the general said that its being done by us or with the help of the army ?? Didn't he said the below things which even the COAS also said on many occasions, plus many other army generals said the same thing.

"Maj-Gen Ghayur, who is in-charge of troops in North Waziristan, admitted that the drone attacks had negative fallout, scaring the local population and causing their migration to other places.

Gen Ghayur said the drone attacks also had social and political repercussions and law-enforcement agencies often felt the heat. "


As i said, there is nothing new in it, its just that may be for the first time we are hearing such a clear statement, otherwise previously, we heard the same statement but in different styles, indirectly saying the same thing, that drone strikes are killing the intended persons, but with it civilians too, which is the real concern. And beside civilians, even the militants who get killed have brethren over there, family members, who if not yet part of the Taliban, become a part to take revenge from those who killed their loved ones, as to them they got killed while fighting the invaders or at the hands of the invaders, thus even militants getting killed, may swell the ranks of the militants.

This is a very complex issue.

 

[kursed]

When I say that they are owning the strikes, it is because for the first time ever - the military is actually saying that a 'large' number of militants have also been killed in these strikes. Whilst civilian causalities have been mentioned in the statement, they're not what the General is putting emphasis upon. The emphasis, for the first time instead, is on the figure of dead militants. This was never the case in the past.

 

[pmukherjee]

It has been known for a long time that the vast majority of those killed were terrorists with a large percentage being foreign militants and senior commanders. However, the issue was allowed to be hijacked by the claims that it was mainly innocent women and children who were dying. Why was this allowed to happen? The answer is really simple. The drone strikes were really hurting the Al-Qaeda and its associates and a public furore against them would force the Government to put a stop to them. Claims of infringements on Pakistani sovereignty and American high handedness helped whip up anti American frenzy which only helped the Al-Qaeda and Taliban. Under these conditions, no media house could be moderate in its approach as they would be seen as traitors and therefore lacking in credibility.
The Army is the only institution in Pakistan which is always believed. Therefore, these statements will have far reaching effect in bringing home the truth to the Pakistani citizens. The only question remains, why did the Army wait for so long? Maybe they saw the situation really going out of control? Maybe they realized that hiding the truth about the efficacy and viability of the drone strike was doing more harm than good. No one will know.
It is possible that the disclosures have come too late in the day. The Army perhaps waited too long. Attitudes and perceptions have hardened. I am afraid that there are many who will not accept the Army's statement at face value and consider it as a capitulation to pressure from uncle Sam. A pity.

 

[Awesome]

It is obvious the drone strikes would achieve a better kill ratio and lower collateral damages. It's fundamentally a better bombing option than say a cobra. However I oppose them on the principle that an American operates them. The same results would be achieved if a Pakistani operated them, plus we'd know that OUR national interest comes first. It can achieve 100% accuracy, I'd still want to see them stopped.

#1 Drone strikes have to be authorized by the Pakistani parliament
#2 Drone strikes have to be operated end to end by Pakistanis. Not even American intelligence agents can be involved. If they are arrest them and put them in jail first.
#3 Mechanism should be in place for people to suffer consequences of making a bad call, even if its due to bad intelligence. Each bad call should be publicly scrutinized to see if the CO did his/her due dilligence properly?
#4 Army has to present a game plan on how drone strikes fit into their plan of regaining that territory under Pakistani sovereignty. Drone strikes can't go on indefinitely. It can't be a trim the bushes plan.

If you can't do that, then no matter what drone strikes would face opposition.

 

[Ahmad]

All of the women, elderly and children killed in drone strikes were militants? Is this PDF or CNN or Fox News. Pakistan Army is not the word of God, and this is just to cover their misdeeds.

nobody is denying the death of civilians, but the report says mos of the death were the terrorists. If you are concerned about the death of civilians, you need to condemn the taliban and al qaeda for hiding among the innocent people and making them a military target.

 

[Areesh]

nobody is denying the death of civilians, but the report says mos of the death were the terrorists. If you are concerned about the death of civilians, you need to condemn the taliban and al qaeda for hiding among the innocent people and making them a military target.

I would condemn America who is bombing a part of Pakistan and killing civilains.