As of right now on the seventh of October, it is fair to say that the CIA-run drone program is on track to outpace the record-breaking month of September. September saw the pace of drone strikes in the tribal areas double the previous record of drone strikes, with over twenty in all. The capabilities of the Special Activities Division were enhanced by the
transfer of Predator and Reaper drones from the military tasked with Afghanistan to the spy agency tasked with Waziristan.
Only seven days into October, and there have been six drone strikes.
All six drone strikes have taken place in North Waziristan, the rear-base for the Haqqani Network, al Qaeda Central, and several large Uzbek-dominated militant groups linked to recent plots against Europe. Two of the drone strikes took place in the Datta Khel area, located between the border with Afghanistan and the tribal agency's main town of Miramshah. One strike took place in Miramshah Bazaar. Three, including the most recent drone strike, has taken place in the Mir Ali area. Mir Ali is the second-largest town in North Waziristan and is east of Miramshah away from the Afghan/Pakistan border. Last month, a majority of drone strikes had focused on the Datta Khel area.
It appears conceivable that the drone strikes of 2010 could double the number throughout 2009, a year in which the pace increased so much that it was dubbed by some as "the year of the drone". There were just over 50 drone strikes last year. So far this year, there have been around 80 and if the pace continues at its current rate, it will exceed 100 before Halloween.