Hassu Khel Mosque (N. Waziristan) Drone Attack IV – May 2012
Date: 24/05/2012
Location: North Waziristan Agency, FATA, Pakistan
Perpetrators: United States
Victims: 10 Killed, 12 Injured
What Happened?
24 May 2012: A U.S. drone strike destroyed multiple house and mosque in the Hassu Khel area, near its boundary with Musakki in Mirali. The attack started at around 0525 hours. Western media, including the Associated Press, hid in its media reports that CIA had targeted a mosque, a major international war crime.
Reportedly, this was a double-tap strike. The first wave of missiles had targeted worshipers and had killed at least 4 of them. The second wave targeted rescuers who combed through the rubble, killing another 6 and injuring as many as 12 others. Some sources like Amnesty International and TBIJ alleged that no civilians were killed in this attack.
Other sources like AFP reported that at least 3 civilians were killed. KUNA, the Kuwaiti news agency, cited local testimony to allege that all of the casualties were civilians. The British Channel 4 news reported that a majority of the casualties were civilians.
Given the contradictions and recurrence of civilian death claims, this drone strike is considered undocumented.
Sources: KUNA, AFP, Channel 4, AP
OMM-PK314