At least
two, possibly
three drone strikes within seven hours have pounded the Datta Khel region of North Waziristan, killing over a dozen. The toll is expected to rise, and more drone strikes are expected in this region of the infamous tribal agency. Datta Khel has been the most often hit district, having taking a majority of the nearly two dozen drone strikes throughout the month of September. The district lays between the main town of Miramhah and Afghanistan's south-eastern provinces of Khost and Paktika. This is "Haqqani Country". The last
two operational commanders of al Qaeda Central were targeted here this year- at this moment, confirmation is still awaited for the most recent one's death.
These are the first drone strikes of the month of October which only just began, and the first drone strikes since Pakistan shut down the Khyber Pass to prevent NATO non-lethal supplies from reaching Afghanistan. The move was in protest of a NATO helicopter incursion which reportedly lead to the death of several of Pakistan's paramilitary soldiers. A joint NATO/Pakistani investigation has been
launched.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the U.S. army is diverting Predator and Reaper drones from Afghanistan to the CIA-led campaign in North Waziristan. This follows news of the CIA Director's meeting with Pakistan's civilian and military leadership, at which Panetta demanded more intelligence sharing, more cooperation, and more "operational space"(presumably for the Special Activities Division).
Across the border in Afghanistan, NATO released captured/killed figures for the month of September. Over 400 insurgents were detained, they said, and over 100 were killed. 105 were said to be insurgent "leaders", a term that ranges from the low-level to the high-level.