At least 32 people died in three CIA drone strikes in Pakistan, making this the bloodiest month since July 2012, the UK-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism says. The strikes all reportedly occurred in and around Datta Khel in North Waziristan. This month the casualty rate was 10.7 people per strike. That is more than double the rate for June (4.6) and the highest since April 2011, when 24 people died in two attacks.
Just three of those killed have been named. All were members of al Qaeda, according to Sanafi al Nasr, a Syrian-based al Qaeda leader, who eulogised the men. Fayez Awda al Khalidi, Taj al Makki and Abu Abdurahman al Kuwaiti died with three unnamed men in an attack on July 10 that reportedly destroyed a house and vehicle in Mada Khel village, near to Datta Khel.
Three days later on July 19, Mada Khel village was reportedly hit again. At least 11 people died when a drone reportedly fired multiple missiles at a building or group of buildings. The army offensive against the Taliban in the region continued. The Pakistan military claims to have killed 500 militants with no civilian casualties since the offensive began in June.
On July 16 the military bombed the remote Shawal valley near the border of North and South Waziristan. The military claimed to have killed 35 militants. However reports later suggested that 37 civilians were killed, "including 20 women and 10 children".
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