Bureau of Investigative Journalism Documented Civilian Drone Strike Casualties
A report by the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism examined the CIA’s drone campaign in Pakistan and concluded that dozens of civilians who had gone to rescue attack victims or were attending funerals had been killed in strikes. The investigation, published in early 2012, found that since President Obama took office three years prior, as many as 535 civilians had been killed in drone operations, including more than 60 children.
Follow-Up Strikes Targeted Rescue Efforts
One of the investigation’s most significant findings involved what are sometimes called “double-tap” strikes. The Bureau documented at least 50 civilians killed in follow-up drone strikes that occurred after initial attacks, when people had rushed to the scene to help pull out the dead and injured. According to the report, drones returned to strike locations minutes after the first attack, hitting the rescuers who had responded.
Bureau reporter Chris Woods described the pattern: contemporaneous reports from outlets including the New York Times, Reuters, and CNN documented repeated instances where an initial strike was followed by a second attack on those who came forward to assist victims.
Funeral Gatherings Were Also Hit
Beyond rescue workers, the investigation found that more than 20 civilians had been killed in deliberate strikes on funerals and mourning gatherings. Combined with the rescue worker casualties, the Bureau estimated that more than 75 civilians died specifically in strikes on rescuers and mourners, with over 50 of those individuals identified by name.
The Broader Civilian Toll
The findings raised serious questions about the rules of engagement governing the drone program and the legal framework under which these operations were conducted. The targeting of individuals responding to emergencies and attending funeral rites challenged claims that the program was surgically precise and minimized civilian harm. The Bureau’s data suggested a pattern that extended well beyond isolated incidents, pointing to a systematic practice that had deadly consequences for Pakistani civilians.
