Drone Roundup, 3 – 7 April, 2020
This twice weekly roundup, curated by ReThink Media, looks at how the media is talking about drone warfare (and related topics) and what stories are being told.
With little transparency from governments on this topic, this roundup aims to be as comprehensive as possible, identifying breaking news, trends, developing stories, or interesting narratives. Rethink Media also use media coverage to compile a snapshot of strikes each week. The short version can be read here.
The Taliban said their peace deal with the United States was nearing a breaking point, accusing Washington of violations that included drone attacks on civilians, while also chastising the Afghan government for delaying the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners promised in the agreement.
A United Nations investigation into attacks on humanitarian sites in Syria concluded in a report released on Monday that the Syrian government or its allies had committed most of them — but failed to name Russia, the most important of those allies, as a perpetrator.
The United States is developing a new generation of drones to be true silent killers by overcoming terrorists’ familiarity with the “buzz” of the present models.
Renewed fighting in Libya, where both sides rely on drone support from foreign backers, has fueled a battle for air supremacy that augurs further escalation despite the coronavirus outbreak in the country. It also raises the prospect of Turkey sending more military aid to its allies.
Strikes & Civilian Casualties
April 6: The Afghan military has released a video which shows a precision airstrike against a key Taliban compound in northern Balkh province. The airstrike killed 11 Taliban militants and wounded at least 6 others, the 209th Shaheen Corps said, adding that the airstrike also destroyed the compound of Taliban. [Khaama Press]
April 5: Some residents of the northern Baghlan province staged a protest against civilian casualties in Afghan forces airstrikes. They allege six civilians were killed and wounded in an Afghan security forces airstrike on Friday. [Pajhwok]
April 5: Somali and U.S. security forces killed eight al-Shabab militants in the vicinity of Mubarak, according to officials. The Somali Ministry of Information said no civilians were killed or injured. [Hiiraan]
April 5: A regional government official told Sputnik, a Russian state-sponsored media outlet, that an airstrike in the Uruzgan province of Afghanistan killed at least eight civilians wounded two others. At the same time, the Uruzgan governor denied civilian casualties. [ANI]
April 3: A US drone strike allegedly killed five al-Shabab militants near Bush Madina. According to initial assessments, no civilians were killed or injured. [Garowe] [VOA News]