What Happened?

23 August 2010: A U.S. drone strike destroyed two houses in the Danda Darpa Khel area of North Waziristan Agency. It is reported that a suspected Haqqani Network hideout was targeted, however at least one of the house belonged to the family of a local civilian Bismullah.

Bismullah was killed along with his wife and their two sons (8-year-old and 10-year-old). The couple was survived by three orphaned children, all of them younger than 7-year-old. At least 3 other women and 2 men were also killed in this attack on a family home. Their identities are not yet known. More than 15 people were left injured.

“The three other children were saved as they were thrown away by the blast and only sustained minor injuries. The children were traumatized and not willing to accept the deaths of their parents in front of their eyes. The surviving kids were unable to utter a word and not even crying, just numb.” Eyewitness testimony of Noor Behram, a local photo journalist.

Some news reports allege that 10 Haqqani Network militants were also killed, however there has never been any official statement from the network nor any independent inquiry into this massacre.

This was the 7th very high casualty U.S. drone attack that mostly killed civilians in this town since 2006.

Sources: Reuters, Radio Free Europe, Dawn

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