WASHINGTON (AP) — For a year, U.S. officials have said it would be difficult, but not impossible, to eliminate the threat of terrorism in Afghanistan without U.S. troops on the ground. The we- Al Qaeda leader Ayman Zawari killed in CIA drone strike.
Other high-profile airstrikes in the past have inadvertently killed innocent civilians. In this case, the United States deliberately chose to use a type of Hellfire missile that greatly minimizes the chance of other casualties. U.S. officials have not officially confirmed which variant of Hellfire was used, but experts and those familiar with counter-terrorism operations have suggested that the “knife bomb” and “flying gins” were among the variants used. It says the highly secretive Hellfire R9X, known by various nicknames, is a strong choice. “
According to Kron Kitchen, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former intelligence analyst, the potential use of R9X suggests that the US wanted to kill al-Zawari, and that the “collateral to limit the possibility of unfavorable death and destruction, and for other relevant political reasons”.
Let’s see how Hellfire and Al-Zawari could have been killed:
What is Hellfire Missile?
Originally designed as an anti-tank missile in the 1980s, the Hellfire has been used by military and intelligence agencies to hit targets in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, and more for the past two decades.
Precision-guided missiles can be mounted on helicopters and unmanned drones and are widely used in combat around the world. More than 100,000 Hellfire missiles have been sold to the United States and other countries, according to Ryan Brobst, an analyst at the Washington think tank Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
“It can do enough damage to destroy most targets such as vehicles and buildings, but not enough to flat city blocks, and can cause significant civilian casualties. ‘ said Brobst.
The U.S. military routinely fires Hellfire missiles to kill high-value targets, including senior al-Qaeda leaders in Syria last year and al-Qaeda propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen in 2011. has been used for
What Killed Al-Zawari?
The US had multiple options for attack. Conventional hellfires, bombs dropped from manned aircraft, or much more dangerous attacks by ground forces could have been used. For example, US SEALs flew into Pakistan by helicopter and killed Osama bin Laden in a raid.
In this case, the CIA chose drone strikes. The CIA, which typically does not confirm its counterterrorism missions and keeps information about the attacks it conducts closely guarded, said two Hellfire missiles hit the building where al-Zawari lived in Kabul. He said it was fired at the balcony.
Online images of the building show damage to the balcony that the US claims al-Zawari was on, but the rest of the house stands and is not badly damaged.
Unlike other Hellfire models, the R9X does not carry explosives. Instead, he has a series of six rotating blades that emerge on final approach to the target, Kitchen said. “His one of their utilities lies in opening vehicles and other obstacles to reach targets without the use of explosive warheads,” he said.
avoid civilian deaths
This week, U.S. officials and experts made it clear that avoiding civilian casualties is a key factor in weapon selection.
In less than a year, US drone attack — using more conventional Hellfire missiles — attacked a white Toyota Corolla sedan near Kabul, killing 10 civilians, including 7 children, around and near the vehicle. In the midst of the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, the U.S. military believed there were explosives inside the vehicle, posing an immediate threat to troops on the ground.Military leaders say it was a ‘tragic mistake’
A former US official said the likely choice of R9X was an example of the government’s efforts to find ways to minimize collateral damage and prevent the loss of innocent lives. . The missile is a highly accurate weapon that strikes a very small area, said an official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the counterterrorism operation.
Government officials said Monday that the U.S. will investigate the construction of the house where al-Zawari was staying, without jeopardizing the structural integrity of the building and minimizing the risk of killing civilians, including members of the government. He said that he was able to reliably carry out the work while keeping it to a minimum. his family elsewhere in the house.
Missile selection is ultimately part of reducing the likelihood of killing civilians or causing other collateral damage.
“I think it’s a much lower risk option,” said Tom Karako, a missile defense expert at the Washington-based Institute for Strategic and International Studies. ,” he said.
Is the US providing Ukraine with drones that launch Hellfire missiles?
No. The U.S. has provided billions of dollars in military aid to help Ukraine fight invading Russian forces, but the U.S. could strike deep into Russia to escalate conflicts or draw the U.S. into war. Be cautious about offering potential weapons.
As a result, the US has so far not provided Hellfire missiles or drones capable of launching them. Instead, the US provided smaller so-called kamikaze her drones, such as the Switchblade and Phoenix Ghost, which explode when they hit a target instead of firing missiles.