US drones kill 1,863 in Pakistan since 2004
By IANSMonday, October 25, 2010
ISLAMABAD - More than 1,800 people have been killed in missile strikes by US unmanned aircraft targeting militants in Pakistan since June 2004, a media report said Monday.
A total of 1,863 people, including civilians, were killed in 184 attacks by US drones, The News International reported quoting sources.
There has been a surge in such attacks this year and most were carried out in North and South Waziristan, the paper said.
A total of 749 people were killed in 89 drone attacks in 2010. September witnessed 16 operations, the maximum in a month, followed by 11 attacks in January.
The report said that nine attacks have been carried out until Oct 20 in which a number of civilians too were killed.
A total of 53 attacks were carried out last year killing 709 people, mostly civilians.
The number of attacks was 33 in 2008, killing 296 people. Seventy-four people were killed in four drone attacks in 2007. The toll in 2006 was 23.
Frequent missile attacks by the US drones have killed many top militant leaders such as Hakimullah Mahsud, the successor to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mahsud.
