(Previous Incident Codes: USYEM018dYEM015)

An alleged US or Yemen government airstrike reportedly killed up to four civilians including one child and two women, and injured up to three children when it struck a residential area of Raia, Jaar, Abyan Province on June 10th 2011. There were no reports of belligerents killed or injured.

Multiple sources reported the death of a woman, man and their daughter who was 20 years old. The alleged US drone had hit the house of Al Qaeda leader Nader Al- Shaddadi however he had not been present in the house when the drone hit. Al- Shaddadi’s mother, father and sister were of those reportedly killed in the strike on the house. It was later reported by Alkarama that Nader Al- Shaddadi was reportedly killed by a different strike in October 2012. The Amnesty report added that “the mother of Nader al-Shaddadi was also killed and her teenage niece was seriously wounded, leaving her disabled. Those who were present at the time of the raid were Nader al-Shaddadi’s elderly parents, his younger brother, his cousin and Moti’a.”

In December 2012, Amnesty International subsequently reported a child Moti’a Ahmed Haidara from a neighboring family had also been killed in the alleged strike. Three other children have been reported to be injured, including one whose injuries left her disabled. Her father, who spoke to Amnesty International, recounted what happened: “It was a quiet Friday morning and I went to the market to get some meat. While there, I could hear an explosion, so all of us in the market started looking around and we could see the smoke in the distance and an aircraft heading towards Ja’ar… then it hit there. People coming from the area where the shell landed said it had hit a house as a speeding car carrying the wounded passed by. A moment later, more speeding cars followed, all carrying casualties and heading for al-Razi Hospital. I arrived there and was surprised to find my wife crying. She said Moti’a was injured… I saw her; the back of her head was cut by shrapnel. My daughter [had in fact] died when she went to our neighbours’ home… When the first shell landed in al-Husn, my wife [Moti’a’s mother] was alarmed, so she told Moti’a to go to our neighbours, Nader al-Shaddadi’s parents, who live adjacent to us, to tell them: ‘If you want to go to a safer area, let us know so that we go with you.’ As soon as Moti’a went to their house, the aircraft hit it.”

This was one of three drone strikes which hit different parts of Abyan.

France 24 reported that US officials had admitted the escalation of drone strikes over the past week. This reportedly ended a relative calm in the area due to a truce between warring parties two days prior to the alleged strike. The National reported that Yemen AQAP was seen as the biggest threat to US security and that this week alone six drone attacks had taken place. “Abdullah Luqman, the deputy governor of Abyan, said he is worried that the US is treating Abyan like a board game, where it continues playing, not worrying if the deaths are terrorists or civilians. “These are the lives of innocent people being killed. At least 130 people have been killed in the last two week by US drones.””

“On Saturday, a drone targeting an Al Qa’eda suspect, missed and killed three civilians, when it targeted the residence of Al Qa’eda fighter Nader Shadadi. His father, mother, and sister were all killed in the raid. Abdul Hadi Mohammed, a neighbour, said: “Was Shadadi’s mother and father terrorist? They were killed by the US drone. They are both over 60 years old.” Mr Mohammed said that the killings will only increase the hatred locals have for the United States, and turn residents into al Qa’eda sympathizers.

Amnesty reported that the alleged strike which resulted in civilian casualties may have been based on outdated or inaccurate intelligence.

Sources differ on whether the strike was a result of alleged US or Yemeni forces although neither has taken responsibility.