While the Democrats are partying in Charlotte, the drone war in Yemen has gone into “overdrive,” leaving scores dead in recent days—to little notice in the US media.
The Haqqani network and allied Taliban denied reports that top commander Badruddin Haqqani was killed in a US drone strike, saying a 13-year-old relative was the victim.
Multiple US drone strikes have hit targets in Yemen and Afghanistan during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, killing several—all said to be al-Qaeda-linked militants.
A suicide attack killed 35 at the funeral of a Yemeni tribal leader who fought al-Qaeda militants—as a US drone strike in Hadramout province killed five.
As Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies continue their advance on Kurdish-held Afrin, Russia and its Syrian regime allies continue their advance on rebel-held Iblib. Both offensives are taking a horrific toll in civilian casualties, but the parallels don't end there. Even as they ostensibly oppose each other, both Turkey and Assad are accused of conniving with ISIS forces to weaken the defenders of the respective enclaves. And the twin aggressions in Afrin and Idlib come amid a sudden and rapid internationalization of the Syrian war. (Photo: Kurdish militia figher at Afrin, via ANF)
