US Predator strike on Taliban camp kills 8 in South Waziristan

Video of Taliban fighters loyal to Baitullah Mehsud training at a makeshift camp in the village of Karwan Manza in South Waziristan. Video from AfPax Insider.

US Predator strike aircraft attacked a Taliban training camp run by Baitullah Mehsud in the mountains of South Waziristan.

A swarm of Predators fired at least six missiles at the training camp in Karwan Manza early in the morning. Eight Taliban fighters were killed during the airstrike, according to reports.

The Karwan Manza camp was featured in a Taliban propaganda video obtained by AfPax Insider. In the video, Taliban fighters are seen conducting various firing drills with assault rifles. The location of the camp is easily discerned; there is a large communications tower in the background and power lines are running parallel to the camp.

The Taliban, al Qaeda, and allied terror groups are known to run more than 150 train camps in Pakistan’s tribal areas and in the Northwest Frontier Province.

Today’s attack is the second in 24 hours. Yesterday’s strike on a Taliban training camp in the village of Zangra in the Ladha region killed 12 Taliban and four al Qaeda fighters.

South Waziristan is a major focus of the US air campaign against al Qaeda and the Taliban. Of the 28 US strikes carried out in Pakistan this year, 20 of them took place in South Waziristan.

Baitullah Mehsud’s territory has been hit 12 times and Mullah Nazir’s areas have been hit eight times. Both Nazir and Baitullah host al Qaeda training camps and shelter senior leaders of the terror group. Seven of the last nine attacks have targeted Baitullah’s camps and safe houses.

The US is well on its way to exceeding last year’s total of 36 airstrikes in Pakistan.

US attacks inside Pakistan during 2009:

US Predator strike on Taliban camp kills 8 in South Waziristan

July 8, 2009

US Predator strike kills 14 Taliban in South Waziristan

July 7, 2009

13 Taliban fighters killed in US airstrikes in Pakistan

July 3, 2009

Scores of Taliban killed in second US strike in South Waziristan

June 23, 2009

Six killed in US Predator attack in South Waziristan

June 23, 2009

US strikes target Mullah Nazir in South Waziristan

June 18, 2009

US kills five in South Waziristan strike

June 14, 2009

US strikes Taliban, al Qaeda in North Waziristan

May 16, 2009

US strikes again in South Waziristan

May 12, 2009

US strike targets Baitullah Mehsud territory in South Waziristan

May 9, 2009

US strike kills 10 Taliban in South Waziristan

April 29, 2009

US airstrike targets Taliban training camp in South Waziristan

April 19, 2009

US Predator kills four in South Waziristan strike

April 8, 2009

US strikes Haqqani Network in North Waziristan

April 4, 2009

US launches first strike in Arakzai tribal agency

April 1, 2009

Latest US strike targets al Qaeda safe house in North Waziristan

March 26, 2009

US airstrike kills 8 in Baitullah Mehsud’s hometown

March 25, 2009

US launches second strike outside of Pakistan’s tribal areas

March 15, 2009

US missile strike in Kurram agency kills 14

March 12, 2009

US airstrike kills 8 in South Waziristan

March 1, 2009

US airstrike in Pakistan’s Kurram tribal agency kills 30

Feb. 16, 2009

US Predator strike in South Waziristan kills 25

Feb. 14, 2009

US strikes al Qaeda in North and South Waziristan

Jan. 23, 2009

US hits South Waziristan in second strike

Jan. 2, 2009

US kills 4 al Qaeda operatives in South Waziristan strike

Jan. 1, 2009

For a summary of US strikes inside Pakistan in 2008, see US strikes in 2 villages in South Waziristan.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

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2 Comments

  • Brian says:

    It looks like there was another strike on a convoy of Pak Talibs in South Waziristan.
    http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSISL33522720090708
    The large number of strikes on what appear to be concentrations of low level Pakistani Taliban fighters (rather than AQ leadership) makes me thing that we may be allowing the Pakistani govt. to pick the targets (as the have requested in the past). Essentially, our drones are helping them soften up B. Mesud’s forces before the S. Waziristan offensive begins.
    Imagine the difficulty presented if you were the Pak Talib and you had to fear strikes without warning any time you concentrated any forces to counter moves by Pakistani government forces preparing to move into South Waziristan.

  • moulon says:

    They should really keep they’re training videos secret or the world won’t take them seriously at all.

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