Death toll from US drone raid in Yemen rises to 17
Iran Press TV
Fri Dec 13, 2013 10:7AM GMT
The death toll from a recent US assassination drone attack on a wedding convoy in central Yemen has risen to 17, security sources say.
On Friday, a Yemeni security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the victims of yesterday's US drone strike were mostly civilians from the al-Tays and al-Ameri clans.
On Thursday, a missile fired by a US terror drone slammed into a vehicle carrying at least 10 passengers in the town of Radaa, located in Yemen's central province of al-Bayda.
According to the Yemeni official, a second missile also struck near the convoy. Several others have also been injured due to the incident.
The United States has launched numerous drone attacks in Yemen that have killed many civilians over the past few years. The drone strikes have claimed numerous civilian lives.
On October 22, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said US assassination drone strikes in Yemen have led to the death of civilians over the past years in a blatant violation of international law.
"The US says it is taking all possible precautions during targeted killings, but it has unlawfully killed civilians and struck questionable military targets in Yemen," said Letta Tayler, senior terrorism and counterterrorism researcher at Human Rights Watch.
Washington often uses its assassination drones to hit targets in Yemen as well as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia. The facts on the ground indicate that civilians are frequently killed in such assaults although the US claims the CIA drones target "militants."
MKA/HSN
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