An Analysis of U.S. Drone Strikes in Pakistan, 2004-2010
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2004-2007
View U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan in a larger map
Click each pin to see the details of a reported strike. The red border represents the extent of Pakistan's tribal regions in the northwest of the country. Red pin=2004-2007; Pink pin=2008; Dark blue pin=2009; (Purple pin=Bush in 2009); Light blue pin=2010
This research was last updated on September 28, 2010. For a full analysis of the repercussions and results of U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan, please click here for "The Year of the Drone," by Peter Bergen and Katherine Tiedemann, February 24, 2010.
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2004-2007
The research on these pages, which we have created in a good faith effort to be as transparent as possible with our sources and analysis and will be updated regularly, draws only on accounts from reliable media organizations with deep reporting capabilities in Pakistan, including the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal, accounts by major news services and networks—the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, CNN, and the BBC—and reports in the leading English-language newspapers in Pakistan—the Daily Times, Dawn, and the News—as well as those from Geo TV, the largest independent Pakistani television network.
Our study shows that the 172 reported drone strikes in northwest Pakistan, including 76 in 2010, from 2004 to the present have killed approximately between 1,153 and 1,772 individuals, of whom around 842 to 1,238 were described as militants in reliable press accounts. Thus, the true non-militant fatality rate since 2004 according to our analysis is approximately 30 percent.
We have also constructed a map, based on the same reliable press accounts and publicly available maps, of the estimated location of each drone strike. Click each pin in the online version to see the details of a reported strike; the red border represents the extent of Pakistan's tribal regions in the northwest of the country. And while we are not professional cartographers, and Google Maps is at times incomplete or imperfect, this map gives our best approximations of the locations and details of each reported drone strike since 2004.
This study carries a Creative Commons license, which permits re-use of New America content when proper attribution is provided. Please click here for conditions of use, and when citing please attribute to Peter Bergen and Katherine Tiedemann's drones database at the New America Foundation.
Estimated Total Deaths from U.S. Drone Strikes in Pakistan, 2004 - 2010
| Deaths (low) | Deaths (high) | |
| 2010* | 391 | 658 |
| 2009 | 413 | 709 |
| 2008 | 263 | 296 |
| 2004-2007 | 86 | 109 |
| Total | 1,153 | 1,772 |
*Through September 28, 2010
Estimated Militant Deaths from U.S. Drone Strikes in Pakistan 2004 - 2010
| Deaths (low) | Deaths (high) | |
| 2010* | 365 | 599 |
| 2009 | 293 | 405 |
| 2008 | 106 | 134 |
| 2004-2007 | 78 | 100 |
| Total | 842 | 1,238 |
*Through September 28, 2010
Estimated Militant Leader Deaths from US Drone Strikes in Pakistan, 2004-2010
| 2010* | 10 |
| 2009 | 10 |
| 2008 | 11 |
| 2004-2007 | 3 |
| Total | 32 |
*Through September 28, 2010. Included in estimated militants and estimated totals, above.
Militant leaders killed
2010
- September 25 or 26, 2010: Sheikh al-Fateh, AQ chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan (BBC, Geo, AFP, Reuters)
- September 14, 2010: Saifullah, Siraj Haqqani’s cousin (Dawn/AFP)
- June 29, 2010: Hamza al-Jufi, AQ commander (NYT)
- May 22-23, 2010: Mustafa Abu al-Yazid (FP)
- March 8, 2010: Sadam Hussein Al Hussami, also known as Ghazwan Al-Yemeni, al-Qaeda planner and explosives expert with contacts in AQAP and Afghan and Pakistani Taliban (AP)
- February 24, 2010: Mohammad Qari Zafar, Taliban commander wanted in 2006 Karachi consulate bombing
February 17, 2010: Sheikh Mansoor, Egyptian-Canadian al-Qaeda leader
February 15, 2010: Abdul Haq al-Turkistani, al-Qaeda linked leader of a group called the Turkistani Islamic Party
January 9, 2010: Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, wanted for his alleged role in the 1986 hijacking of Pan American World Airways flight during a stop in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi (BBC, AP, Asian Tribune) [Author note: BBC says he “died” on Jan. 9, AP says he was killed by a drone on Jan. 9, and Asian Tribune says he died in the strike on Ismail Khel, which happened on Jan. 10 as per AFP, AP, CNN, Dawn, Times of India, and Geo.]
- Early January, 2010: Mahmud Mahdi Zeidan, Jordanian Taliban commander, bodyguard of Mustafa Abu al-Yazid
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2004-2007
Strikes by Target
| Target | 2004-2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | Total |
| Taliban | 6 | 14 | 24 | 33 | 77 |
| Baitullah Mehsud (not Taliban generally) | 0 | 1 | 16 | n/a | 17 |
| Al Qaeda | 5 | 11 | 10** | 6 | 32 |
| Haqqani | 1 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 24 |
| Unclear/Other | 0 | 4 | 4 | 39 | 47 |
*Count is more than the number of strikes in some cases because some targets fell into multiple categories.
**Saad bin Laden, one of Osama bin Laden’s sons, was reported killed by a drone in 2009 sometime before July 22, 2009, but it’s unknown exactly when, so he is included in the targeting as al Qaeda but not in one of the individual entries in 2009. [Author note: Saad bin Laden was reported alive in December 2009 by his brother, Omar.]
In cases where a media report described a specific target such as Baitullah Mehsud or the Haqqani network, the target is counted as such. If a target was both al Qaeda and Taliban commanders, it is counted once under each category. Strikes against Baitullah Mehsud are not included in the overall Taliban count. We assume that strikes which kill a leader in a given group were targeted at that group. Only for cases when a specific target or group was not reported by the media and a specific location was given, we used the following geographical areas of influence to estimate which particular militant group was targeted.
- Miram Shah, North Waziristan - Jalaluddin Haqqani’s network
- Ladha or Makeen, South Waziristan - Baitullah Mehsud/his deputies
- Wana, South Waziristan - Mullah Nazir, Baitullah Mehsud’s (former) Taliban rival
76. September 28, 2010
Location: Zeba village, west of Wana, South Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AP, Dawn/AFP, Geo
Assumed target: Militant compound (UNCLEAR)
75. September 27, 2010
Location: Khush Hali, southeast of Miram Shah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 2-4
Others killed: 0-4
Source: AFP, Dawn/AFP, AP, CNN, ET/AFP
Assumed target: Militant compound (UNCLEAR)
74. September 26, 2010
Location: Tarmanu Road, 31 miles west of Miram Shah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 3
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AFP, BBC, ET, AP
Assumed target: Vehicle with militants (UNCLEAR)
73. September 26, 2010
Location: Lawara Mandi area of Datta Khel, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AFP, BBC, ET, AP, AP, Geo
Assumed target: House with militants (UNCLEAR)
72. September 25, 2010
Location: Datta Khel, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Sheikh al-Fateh, AQ chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan (BBC, Geo, AFP, Reuters)*
Militants killed: 3-4
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AP, BBC, CNN, The News, Dawn/AFP, AFP
Assumed target: Vehicle carrying militants (UNCLEAR)
*Note: Some reports say he was killed on 9/26/10.
71. September 22, 2010
Location: Azam Warsak, 6 miles NW of Wana, South Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 5-12
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AFP, Reuters, CNN, AJE, BBC, NBC
Assumed target: Funeral of those killed in first strike (Mullah Nazir fighters) (TALIBAN)
70. September 22, 2010
Location: Khund, South Waziristan border with Afghanistan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 7
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AFP, Reuters, CNN, AJE, BBC, NBC
Assumed target: Vehicle with militants affiliated with Mullah Nazir (TALIBAN)
69. September 20, 2010
Location: Darazinda village, 25 miles northeast of Miram Shah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4-6
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AP, AFP
Assumed target: Militants on a motorbike (UNCLEAR)
68. September 19, 2010
Location: Deghan, Datta Khel, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4-5
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AP, AFP, ET
Assumed target: Vehicle (UNCLEAR)
67. September 15, 2010
Location: Payekhel village of Dattakhel district, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 3-7
Others killed: Unknown
Source: Dawn, CSM, The News, CNN, AFP, Dawn
Assumed target: Militant compound (UNCLEAR)
66. September 15, 2010
Location: Dargah Mandi, outskirts of Miram Shah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 11-12
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AFP, AP, Dawn/AFP, Dawn, CNN, Reuters
Assumed target: Militant compounds (HAQQANI/TALIBAN)
65. September 14, 2010
Location: Qutabkhel village, a southern suburb of Miranshah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4
Others killed: Unknown
Source: ET/AFP, AP, Dawn/AFP, AP, CNN, Geo
Assumed target: Vehicle with militants (UNCLEAR)
64. September 14, 2010
Location: Bushnarai village, Shawal, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 8-11
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AP, Pajhwok, Geo, AFP, CNN, BBC
Assumed target: Militant compound (UNCLEAR)
63. September 12, 2010
Location: Datta Khel, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4-6
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AJE, Dawn/AFP, AFP, AP, Geo, The News, CNN
Assumed target: House associated with Hafiz Gul Bahadur (TALIBAN)
62. September 9, 2010
Location: Outskirts of Miram Shah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 5-6
Others killed: Unknown
Source: Geo, AP, AFP, CNN, Geo, AP
Assumed target: Compound (UNCLEAR)
61. September 8, 2010
Location: Danday Darpa Khel, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4-10
Others killed: Unknown
Source: Geo, AP, AFP, CNN, Geo, AP
Assumed target: House owned by Maulvi Azizullah (HAQQANI)
60. September 8, 2010
Location: Ambor Shaga on Dattakhel Road, near the border, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4
Others killed: Unknown
Source: CNN, AFP, AP, BBC, Geo, AP
Assumed target: Vehicle (UNCLEAR)
59. September 8, 2010
Location: Dargha Mandi at Ghulam Khan Road area, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4-6
Others killed: Unknown
Source: CNN, AFP, AP, BBC, Geo
Assumed target: Suspected militant hideout (UNCLEAR)
58. September 6, 2010
Location: Khar Qamar, a village in Datta Khel, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 3-5
Others killed: Unknown
Source: CNN, Dawn, AP, BBC, Geo, AFP, AP
Assumed target: Vehicle carrying militants (UNCLEAR)
57. September 4, 2010
Location: Datta Khel, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4-8
Others killed: Unknown
Source: CNN, Dawn, AP, AFP
Assumed target: House and vehicle (UNCLEAR)
56. September 3, 2010
Location: Datta Khel, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 2-4
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AP, Geo, Dawn, ET
Assumed target: Vehicle (UNCLEAR)
55. September 3, 2010
Location: Machis Factory area on outskirts of Miram Shah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 2-9
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AP, Geo, Dawn, ET, CNN, AFP
Assumed target: House used by militants (UNCLEAR)
54. August 29, 2010
Location: Shahidano village, 62 miles southwest of Peshawar, Kurram
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 3-9
Others killed: Unknown
Source: CNN, AFP, AP, Geo, AP/Reuters
Assumed target: Vehicles carrying suspected militants (TALIBAN/HAQQANI)
53. August 23, 2010
Location: Danday Darpa Khel, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 5-13
Others killed: 0-7
Source: Reuters, Geo, Dawn/AFP, CNN
Assumed target: Militant compound and house (TALIBAN/HAQQANI)
52. August 21, 2010
Location: Kutabkhel village, 3 km south of Miram Shah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4-6
Others killed: Unknown
Source: Geo, Daily Times, AP, AFP
Assumed target: Two vehicles (UNCLEAR)
51. August 14, 2010
Location: Issori, 13 miles east of Miram Shah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Amir Moawia, TTP commander
Militants killed: 7-13
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AFP, BBC, AP, VOA, CNN, Geo, AJE, ET, Dawn, Geo
Assumed target: Compound used by militants (TALIBAN)<!--EndFragment-->
50. July 25, 2010
Location: Landikhel area of Sararogha, South Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 3-4
Others killed: Unknown
Source: BBC, Dawn, AP, The News
Assumed target: Local militants affiliated with TTP (TALIBAN)
49. July 25, 2010
Location: Tabbi Tolkhel, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4-7
Others killed: Unknown
Source: BBC, Daily Times/AP, CNN, Dawn, Geo, The News
Assumed target: Suspected militant compound (UNCLEAR)
48. July 25, 2010
Location: Shaktoi, South Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 4-14
Others killed: Unknown
Source: BBC, Daily Times/AP, CNN, Nation, Dawn, Geo, The News, Geo
Assumed target: Vehicle carrying militants affiliated with Hakimullah Mehsud (TALIBAN)
47. July 24, 2010
Location: Dwasarak village, 25 miles west of Wana, near Angoor Adda, South Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 16-18
Others killed: Unknown
Source: Geo, BBC, AP, CNN, AJE, ET, The News
Assumed target: Compound used by militants affiliated with local commander Maulana Halimullah (UNCLEAR)
46. July 15, 2010
Location: Sheerani, Mada Khel, North Waziristan (19 miles west of Miram Shah)
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 5-14
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AP, BBC, CNN, AFP, Dawn/AFP, The News
Assumed target: Compound used by militants affiliated with Hafiz Gul Bahadur (TALIBAN)
45. June 29, 2010
Location: Lamal village, near Karikot, 6 miles SW of Wana, South Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Hamza al-Jufi, AQ commander (NYT)
Militants killed: 6-10
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AFP, AP, Reuters, BBC, ET, Geo, CNN, NYT
Assumed target: House of militant commander Maulana Halimullah/Compound of Hamza al-Jufi (TALIBAN/QAEDA)
44. June 27, 2010
Location: Tabbi Tolkhel, 4 km north of Miram Shah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 3-6
Others killed: Unknown
Source: Daily Times, ET, AP, AFP, Daily Times, Guardian, Dawn
Assumed target: Militant compound (UNCLEAR)
43. June 26, 2010
Location: Khushali Khel, Mir Ali, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 2-4
Others killed: Unknown
Source: Geo, Daily Times, ET, AP, BBC, AFP, Daily Times, Guardian, Dawn
Assumed target: House of Hameedullah; Hafiz Gul Bahadur-linked house (TALIBAN)
42. June 21, 2010
Location: Sokhel village, 16 miles east of Miram Shah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Abu Ahmed (The News)
Militants killed: 11-17
Others killed: Unknown
Source: The News, ET, BBC, AP, NYT, Reuters, CNN, AJE, The News, The News
Assumed target: Government water supply plant where militants were meeting (TALIBAN/QAEDA)
41. June 11, 2010
Location: Datta Khel, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 8-15
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AP, AFP, Geo, Dawn, BBC, CNN, ET, Nation
Assumed target: House belonging to militants in Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s group (TALIBAN)
40. June 10, 2010
Location: Khaddi village, nine miles east of Miram Shah, North Waziristan
Militant leaders killed: Unknown
Militants killed: 2-3
Others killed: Unknown
Source: AP, AFP, Reuters, Geo, CNN
Assumed target: Compound used by militants (UNCLEAR)
39. May 28, 2010
Location: Mizai Nari, 38 km west of Wana, South Waziristan
Al Qaeda/Taliban leaders killed: Unknown
Al Qaeda/Taliban killed: 8-11
Others killed: Unknown
Source: Dawn, Nation, Geo, CNN, Wash Post
Assumed target: Taliban compound (TALIBAN)
32. April 24, 2010
31. April 16, 2010
See article below vids!
Public awareness of attacks by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), such as Reapers and Predators, in Afghanistan and Pakistan has grown but less is known of the evolution of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs).
Two conferences – Drone Wars in London on 18 September and a three-day workshop organised by the International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC) in Berlin on 20-22 September – will hear calls for bans and for tighter regulation under international arms treaties.
British academics and policy experts, Red Cross representatives, peace activists, military advisers, human rights lawyers and those opposed to the arms trade are participating in the German meeting.
Prominent among them is Noel Sharkey, professor of robotics and artificial intelligence at Sheffield University and a judge on the BBC series Robot Wars, who is speaking at both gatherings.
The development of what is known as "autonomous targeting" – where unmanned planes and military ground vehicles are engineered to lock automatically on to what their onboard computers assume is the enemy – has heightened concern.
Research is under way at enabling UAVs and UGVs to work in collaborative swarms, ensuring each machine selects a different target. This has reinforced fears that UAV strikes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and in the Horn of Africa – or wherever future wars are fought – will increase death tolls.
RAF pilots already operate armed drones from Creech US air force base in the Nevada desert. Eight thousand miles away from the frontline they control the release of Hellfire missiles and Paveway bombs against Taliban targets.
Through a freedom of information request submitted to the Ministry of Defence, the Oxford-based Fellowship of Reconciliation – the group organising the Drone Wars conference – found that as of April this year RAF-controlled Reapers had opened fire on 84 occasions so far this year.
Defence equipment manufacturers insist that there is always "a man in the [control] loop" to authorise operations and that they are far less indiscriminate than the high level air force saturation bombing that occurred in the second world war. Since there is no onboard pilot at risk, so the argument goes, they do not always have to fire first.
Critics highlight the number of civilian casualties in supposedly "surgical strike" raids, allege that reliance on remote screens may induce a dehumanising electronic games mentality in operators, and fear that such clandestine missions could lower the threshold for war – for example in Yemen and Somalia where the US is not involved in any formal conflict.
Philip Alston, a UN human rights special rapporteur, warned last autumn that US use of drones to kill militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan may violate international law. He called on the US to explain the legal basis for killing individuals with its drones.
"More than 40 countries have robotic programmes now," said Sharkey. "Even Iran has launched a UAV bomber with a range of several hundred miles.
"These [robotic] systems are difficult to develop but easy to copy. In the states a large proportion of robot making is being moved to Michigan to compensate for the decline in the car industry.
"Increasingly [the manufacturers] are talking about the 'man on the loop', where one person can control a swarm of robots. Our biggest concern for the future is autonomous systems that [select] targets themselves."
For many scientists the future potential is most alarming. David Webb, a professor of engineering at Leeds Metropolitan University, vice-chair of CND and an expert on the militarisation of space, will address the Drone Wars conference in London. "We are only just starting to become aware of the wider issues," he said. "Robots are [being developed] to make some decisions for themselves. If they kill somebody by mistake do you put the robot on trial? The idea of having networked UAVs that work in swarms and could be armed has all sorts of implications."
Dr Steve Wright, a reader in applied global ethics also at Leeds Metropolitan University who will speak at an ICRAC workshop on the dangers of terrorists obtaining drones, said: "We need a new treaty to limit proliferation. All the arms fairs now are selling UAVs. It's naive to think they will remain in the hands of governments."
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Pakistan is being bombarded by high tech unmanned aerial vehicles controlled remotley by paid iTards ever more frequently, with the latest incident happening yesterday in which 14 people were killed (see story below) all of which we are lead to believe were evil and deserved death. Meanwhile reports indicate they are having a hard time getting much needed aid out to the Pakistani flood victims with this technology, as Haiti (only a stones throw from America) endures storm after storm in tents only having recieved 2-5% of the pledged aid 8 months after the tragedy. The video below does alot to make Drone attacks seem cool and even rebellious while warming us to all these aerial infringements. In the future while awaiting aid you wont be dogging bees (they will be extinct) you will be dodging missiles from drones like the one advertised in the video below...
From Al Jazeera
Deaths in Pakistan 'drone attack 'Two suspected US drone attacks targeting Haqqani network leave at least 14 people dead in North Waziristan region.
Last Modified: 08 Sep 2010 12:55 GMT
At least 14 people have been killed in two suspected US drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal region, near the border with Afghanistan, officials said.
The attacks took place hours apart on Wednesday near Miran Shah, the main town in the North Waziristan region.
At least 10 people were killed in the first attack, when missiles struck a compound, which officials say was used to house fighters allied with the Taliban an al-Qaeda.
The house targeted by the drone reportedly belonged to members of the Haqqani network - a faction fighting alongside the Taliban against US-led forces in Afghanistan.
A second drone attack later targeted a vehicle carrying other suspected Haqqani members.
"A US drone fired two missiles, which struck a vehicle carrying militants, killing four rebels," a senior security official in the area told the AFP news agency. Another security official in the area confirmed the strike and casualties.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in air raids in the area since August 2008.
North Waziristan is known as a haven for Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters who enter Afghanistan.
Continued violence
On Tuesday, at least 20 people were killed and more than 56 injured in a car bomb attack targeting a police headquarters in Pakistan's northwestern garrison town of Kohat in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
A number of houses collapsed from the force of the blast and rescuers sought to pull out survivors, but a senior Kohat administrative official said that most of the victims were women and children.
Yusuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan's prime minister, denounced the Kohat attack as a "heinous crime".
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