U.S. drone attacked in Angoora Adda Updated at: 0031 PST, Wednesday, September 24, 2008
ANGOOR ADDA: Local tribes have shot down a U.S. drone here on Tuesday, according to Geo News.
The wreckages of the devastated U.S. drone was reportedly scattered in Village Jallalabad near Angoora Adda, sources said.
Geo's credibitlity has been put under question, lets see if any other outlet confirms it. Is it something like a villager shot Cobra (helicopter) down when US invaded Iraq? Lets wait.
How those tribals shot the drone? RPG? Gunshots? Anti-aircraft missiles? Any info?
Reuters reports the same, but termed it “crashing”.
Here’s their story:
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A pilotless U.S. drone aircraft crashed in the northwestern Pakistani region of South Waziristan on Tuesday but it was not clear why it came down, Pakistani news channels reported.
U.S. forces have launched a string of attacks with missiles fired by drones, and one ground assault, on militant targets in northwestern Pakistan in recent weeks infuriating the U.S. ally which says the attacks are a violation of Pakistani sovereignty.
The drone came down near the border village of Angor Adda, where U.S. commandos launched a ground assault on September 3 that Pakistani officials said killed 20 people, including women and children.
A Pakistani intelligence official in the region said he had no information but he had heard claims from a Taliban faction a drone had been shot down on the Afghan side of the border.
Earlier on Tuesday, U.S. President George W. Bush said visiting Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari had spoken strongly about protecting Pakistani sovereignty.
Bush did not address the strikes.
“Your words have been very strong about Pakistan’s sovereign right and sovereign duty to protect your country, and the United States wants to help,” Bush said before meeting Zardari in New York.
Pakistan’s support is regarded as crucial to the success of Western forces trying to stabilize Afghanistan, and in the fight against al Qaeda.
But U.S. impatience has grown over what it sees as Pakistan’s failure to eliminate the militant threat on its side of the Afghan border.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) - A suspected US unmanned spy plane crashed Tuesday in a troubled Pakistani tribal area bordering Afghanistan where Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants are active, officials said.
The drone came down near the frontier village of Angoor Adda in the tribal district of South Waziristan, the scene of several recent missile strikes by American drones, a senior Pakistani security official said.
“A pilotless spy plane, we believe it is US, crashed in Pakistani territory but it did not disintegrate. Tribesmen picked it up and then Pakistani security forces retrieved it,” the official added.
“No firing was heard in the area so there is no question of it being shot down,” he said.
There was no immediate comment from the US-led coalition in Afghanistan. The US Central Intelligence Agency is also known to operate pilotless aircraft in the restive border region.
The crash of the drone comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Islamabad over US military incursions into Pakistani territory to strike hardline Taliban and Al-Qaeda operatives.
ISLAMABAD: A pilotless US drone aircraft crashed in the northwestern Pakistani region of South Waziristan on Tuesday but it was not clear why it came down, Pakistani news channels, including DawnNews reported.
DawnNews said that Pakistani security officials found the wreckage of the US drone in Jalal Khel village near Angoor Adda.
There are conflicting accounts about how the drone crashed. While officials maintained that the aircraft crashed on its own, local people said that the drone was shot down by Wazir tribesmen, DawnNews reported.
“A pilotless spy plane, we believe it is US, crashed in Pakistani territory but it did not disintegrate. Tribesmen picked it up and then Pakistani security forces retrieved it,” a senior Pakistani security official told AFP.
“No firing was heard in the area so there is no question of it being shot down,” he said.
There was no immediate comment from the US-led coalition in Afghanistan.
Intelligence officials told the Associated Press that Pakistani troops shot down the unmanned military drone.
US drones have launched a string of missile attacks on militant targets in northwestern Pakistan, infuriating the US ally which says the attacks are a violation of Pakistani sovereignty.
^ The going commission rate for this level of arse licking is way above 10% (or so it should). Plus, now Zardari has proly added EOP ("Elected Office Premium") to his rate list.
While an unmanned drone crashing on its own is not staggeringly surprising, my suspicion remains that it is shot down by people from the ground. Of course, US military will never admit it, and Pak forces won't admit it either for losing face (or whatever is left of it).
^ The going commission rate for this level of arse licking is way above 10% (or so it should). Plus, now Zardari has proly added EOP ("Elected Office Premium") to his rate list.
While an unmanned drone crashing on its own is not staggeringly surprising, my suspicion remains that it is shot down by people from the ground. Of course, US military will never admit it, and Pak forces won't admit it either for losing face (or whatever is left of it).
"A pilotless spy plane, we believe it is US, crashed in Pakistani territory but it did not disintegrate. Tribesmen picked it up and then Pakistani security forces retrieved it," the official added.
A picture prolly would've clarified if it was infact "shot" or "it crashed".
It may be an exercise to win heart and mind of some people for new government, so it is possible that drone fell, making these people happier. Not a big price for Americans to boost image of their installed government, as in the end, drone may get back to where it belongs. :)
"A pilotless spy plane, we believe it is US, crashed in Pakistani territory but it did not disintegrate. Tribesmen picked it up and then Pakistani security forces retrieved it," the official added.
A picture prolly would've clarified if it was infact "shot" or "it crashed".
Didn't disintegrate! huh! It must be made of plastic weighing half a kilo.
These tribals are begging for daisy cutters. Who knows they may get some.
It may be an exercise to win heart and mind of some people for new government, so it is possible that drone fell, making these people happier. Not a big price for Americans to boost image of their installed government, as in the end, drone may get back to where it belongs. :)
Very likely Americans would have bombed Marriott too, to gain support for war on terrorism, no?
Yaar, yea kaisay ho sakta hay? Americans retard nahie hota kay kisie kay kahnay per Zombie kee tarah 70 hooron kay chakkar may apnay aap ko bomb say urra dain. Americans ko hoorain issi duniya may bohut mil jaatie hain, 70 say bhie zaidah.:halo: