Air strike kills 15 civilians in Yemen by mistake, officials say

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/20298043/air-strike-kills-15-civilians-in-yemen-by-mistake-officials-say/

SANAA (Reuters) - Fifteen people on their way to a wedding in Yemen were killed in an air strike after their party was mistaken for an al Qaeda convoy, local security officials said.

"An air strike missed its target and hit a wedding car convoy, ten people were killed immediately and another five who were injured died after being admitted to the hospital," one security official said.

Five more people were injured, the officials said.

The United States has stepped up drone strikes as part of a campaign against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), regarded by Washington as the most active wing of the militant network.

Yemen, AQAP's main stronghold, is among a handful of countries where the United States acknowledges using drones, although it does not comment on the practice.

Human Rights Watch said in a detailed report in August that US missile strikes, including armed drone attacks, have killed dozens of civilians in Yemen.

Stabilising the country, which is also struggling with southern separatists and northern rebels, is an international priority due to fears of disorder in a state that flanks top oil producer Saudi Arabia and major shipping lanes.

On Monday, missiles fired from a US drone killed at least three people travelling in a car in eastern Yemen.

Saw this two weeks ago very sad, still believe drones are necessary
But I feel bad for innocents like these people who were killed because
They were riding in a wedding convoy essentially.
That said drones are extremely necessary tool when combatting AQAP te most dangerous branch of al qaeda

only Bird could use a thread made to point out the failure and hypocrisy of the drone war to promote the drone war. Stay classless!

Fuck that Oggy! Yemen harbors the same people that want you dead. Fuck that country and everyone in it. Like I said in the other thread. Police your own and this shit wouldn't happen. You should move to Yemen and tell them how much you support them. I've said this before. See how that works out for you.