Chenagai airstrike
All you want to know about Chenagai airstrike
| Chenagai airstrike | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the War on Terrorism | |||||||
 Madrassa air strike. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| US Air Force (as cited by eyewitness), Pakistan Army (Pakistani government claims) |
Pro-Taliban militants (Pakistani claim) | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unspecified number of aircraft (Pakistani government claims 3 gunships while eyewitness reports drones) | Unspecified (estimated to be 90) | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| None | 70-80 | ||||||
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The Chenagai airstrike took place on October 30, 2006, around 5:00 am[1] local time when several United States military aircraft [2] firing four to five missiles[3] destroyed a madrassa in the Bajaur region of Pakistan.
Between 70 and 80 people are said to have been killed, and an eyewitness has stated that the madrassa school was filled with local students who had resumed studies after the Eid ul-Fitr holiday.[4]
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Background
The attack came two days after about 3,000 fighters held a rally near Khar, shouting slogans in support of Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, and Mullah Mohammed Omar, the Taliban's leader. In January 2006, US forces in Afghanistan carried out an airstrike in Bajaur's Damadola village which US officials said was aimed at al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Al-Zawahiri was not present during the attack. The Pakistan-Afghan border has been a haven for fighters for decades.
The airstrike
The attack took place in Chenagai village[1] near the town of Khar, the main town in Bajaur region. The leader of the madrassa, cleric Maulana Liaqat Ullah Hussain, was believed to be sheltering al-Qaeda militants and was among the dead.[5]
But exactly who was killed at Chenagai remains unclear as paramilitary troops prevented reporters from travelling to the area. A number of local people who were able to comment led the prayer services for those killed. There are reports of dozens of teenagers also being killed in the strike.
U.S. involvement
According to the American Broadcasting Corporation, the attack was launched by a MQ-1 Predator with Ayman al-Zawahiri as its intended target. [6] A spokesman for the Pakistani Foreign Office denied involvement of any external influence or pressure, saying of the airstrike, "It is something that we have done and we have been doing for peace and security in our own region".[7] Pakistani officials have admitted that the strike was conducted by the US drones, they have also requested the US not to violate their sovereignty again.[8]
Reaction
There were angry reactions in response to the strike. Many Muslim groups have condemned the action [9] saying that there should have been a warning or the government should have arrested and brought to trial any suspected militants. Faqir Mohammed, a local leader with suspected ties to al-Qaeda, stated "The government attacked and killed our innocent people on orders from America". [9] Sirajul Haq, the senior Minister and Provincial Chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, resigned from the provincial cabinet in protest against the strikes.[10] Sahibzada Haroonur Rashid, MNA (Member of National Assembly) from Bajaur Agency, also resigned from the National Assembly in protest.[11]
Retaliation
Following attacks against the madrasa in the Bajaur tribal agency, on November 8, 2006, a suicide bomber killed 42 Pakistani soldiers and injured 20 others in Dargai, 85 miles north-west of Islamabad.[1] It has already called the deadliest attack by the militants on the army since it began operations against pro-Taliban and al-Qaeda forces.[2] Though no one has claimed responsibility as yet, the attack has been linked to the Bajaur militants.[3]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Pakistani troops kill 80 in air strikes on madrasa", DAWN (2006-10-30). Retrieved on 30 October 2006.
- ^ "Pakistan madrassa raid 'kills 80'", BBC News (2006-10-30). Retrieved on 30 October 2006.
- ^ "'Al Qaeda school' attack: 80 dead", CNN (2006-10-30). Retrieved on 30 October 2006.
- ^ "Pakistan madrassa raid 'kills 80'", BBC News (2006-10-30). Retrieved on 30 October 2006.
- ^ "DAWN 82 die as missiles rain on Bajaur: Pakistan owns up to strike; locals blame US drones" (2006-10-31). Retrieved on 30 October 2006.
- ^ Debat, Alexis (2006-10-30). "Zawahiri Was Target in U.S. Attack on Religious School in Pakistan". Retrieved on 31 October 2006.
- ^ "Bajaur operation not under any pressure: FO", DAWN (2006-10-30). Retrieved on 31 October 2006.
- ^ "US carried out madrasah bombing", The Sunday Times (2006-11-26). Retrieved on 3 December 2006.
- ^ a b "Pakistan school raid sparks anger", BBC News (2006-10-30). Retrieved on 30 October 2006.
- ^ "NWFP senior minister resigns", DAWN (2006-10-30). Retrieved on 31 October 2006.
- ^ "MNA resigns in protest against air strike", DAWN (2006-10-30). Retrieved on 31 October 2006.
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