Yemani families take legal action against the US over drone strike

Families of two Yemani men, Salem, an anti-Al-Qaeda cleric, and Waleed, a Police officer, who were killed in the 2012 military operations have taken legal actions against the United States, alleging that they were hit by a US drone strike in August 2012 in the eastern village Khashamir. Although it is unclear if the case will even be heard, human rights groups who have long criticized the use of armed and unmanned aircrafts for counterterrorism operations believe the families of the two victims had no option but to file the case.

Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The lawsuit named US President Barack Obama, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and former CIA Director David Petraeus, as well as several other unnamed people, as defendants. The lawsuit, first reported by the New York Times, said the two men were inadvertently killed when they met with three youths who had requested a meeting with Salem, who took Waleed along as protection.

While the US government has said reports of civilian casualties are escalated by outside groups, several reports based on interviews with victims and their relatives, eyewitnesses, doctors and hospital staff suggest that several drone strikes have caused the death of tens of thousands of people in the region.

interactive editor