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¢ Yemen In August 2010, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal both reported that the CIA was redeploying some Predator drones from Pakistan to Yemen, Djibouti, Kenya and Ethiopia in order to "step up targeting of al Qaeda's Yemen affiliate, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, known as AQAP, and Somalia's al Shabaab".” Clearly opposing the idea, Yemen's Ambassador to the United Nations, Abdullah al-Saidi, said that CIA drones would be a "nonstarter". He added: "To even posit this theory about US drones only builds support for radicalization."” Yemen had previously seen US drone strikes. In May 2010, a drone strike killed a Yemeni mediator seeking to persuade al-Oaeda members to surrender,” while a cable released by WikiLeaks confirmed that it was a US drone strike that killed 41 people in December 2009, rather than a strike by Yemeni forces as was claimed at the time.” The cable quoted Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh saying to US General — David Petraeus: "We'll continue saying the and Yemen. Drones would also continue to be flown from Djibouti.” On 30 September, Anwar al-Awlaki was killed in a US drone strike on a convoy 90 miles [~145 km] east of the Yemeni capital, Sana’a.* Three other men also died in the attack, including another US citizen, Samir Khan.” Two weeks later, al-Awlaki's 16-year-old son, Abdulrahman al- Awlaki, was one of nine people killed in a US drone strike near the town of Azzan in southern Yemen. According to the boy's family, Abdulrahman was on his way to dinner and was not at all involved in terrorism.'” ¢ Somalia 2010, a drone strike killed a Yemeni mediator seeking to In June 2011, an unnamed US military official persuade al-Oaeda members to surrender,” while acable — confirmed to the Washington Post that the Joint Special released by WikiLeaks confirmed that it was a US drone = Operations Command had carried out a drone strike in strike that killed 41 people in December 2009, rather than Somalia, aimed at two senior members of al-Shabab.'” a strike by Yemeni forces Although Predator as was claimed at the drones have previously time.” The cable quoted been used for surveillance in Somalia, this was seemingly the first time that an armed drone had been used in the country. In September, Reuters reported that a US drone had crashed __ near Somalia's southern port city of Kismayu.'” From September 2011, there were numerous reports by the Tehran- based Press TV service of "The USA appears to have carried out or collaborated in US drone strikes in Somalia, resulting in hundreds of unlawful killings in Yemen and has closely co-operated __ civilian casualties; however, none was confirmed by other with Yemeni security forces in situations that have failed news networks.'” In December, a TBI) investigation found to give due regard for human rights." that the Press TV reports had been fabricated.’ Amnesty makes this recommendation to the US government: "Investigate the serious allegations of the —* Libya Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh saying to US General — David Petraeus: "We'll continue saying the bombs are ours, not yours."” In August, Amnesty International published a report on the human rights situation in Yemen, criticising both the Yemeni government : and the United States: The General Atomics MQ-I Predator, used by the US Air Force. use of drones by US forces for targeted killings of In April 2011, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates individuals in Yemen and clarify the chain of command announced that armed Predator drones had been and rules governing the use of such drones." approved for use in Libya.” Although the military In June 2011, anonymous US officials briefed the New refused to say from where the drones were flying, it was York Times that US drone strikes in Yemen would intensify, believed they were based in Italy. In May, the US also as it was feared that it would be much harder to dispatched "several" unarmed Predator drones to the undertake the strikes if the Saleh regime fell due to NATO war effort in Libya. A few months later, NATO increasing protests.” commanders requested more, as according to a senior In September 2011, the Washington Post reported that, | NATO official it was "getting more difficult to find stuff to according to senior Obama administration officials, | blow up"! The US granted the request and sent two drone strikes in Yemen and Somalia, unlike strikes in further unarmed Predators.'” In October, at the end of Pakistan, needed direct approval from the White House. "hostilities", the Pentagon stated that their drones had The Post article also noted that local Yemeni media were _ launched a total of 145 armed strikes on Libya.'® reporting several unconfirmed drone strikes each week.” Also in September, the US revealed that it was * Afghanistan constructing new bases for drones in Ethiopia and the In November 2011, the USAF confirmed that it had Seychelles in order to conduct strikes inside Somalia — moved four Predator drones from Iraq to the Incirlik Air Petraeus: In near ¢ Libya In April 2011, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that armed Predator drones had been approved for use in Libya.'” Although the military refused to say from where the drones were flying, it was believed they were based in Italy. In May, the US also dispatched "several" unarmed Predator drones to the NATO war effort in Libya. A few months later, NATO commanders requested more, as according to a senior NATO official it was "getting more difficult to find stuff to blow up".'* The US granted the request and sent two further unarmed Predators.'” In October, at the end of "hostilities", the Pentagon stated that their drones had launched a total of 145 armed strikes on Libya.'® ¢ Afghanistan In November 2011, the USAF confirmed that it had moved four Predator drones from Iraq to the Incirlik Air 14 * NEXUS APRIL - MAY 2012 The General Atomics MQ-I Predator, used by the US Air Force. www.nexusmagazine.com