Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has been using an advanced
air-to-ground missile to kill Al Qaida operatives in Yemen, a report said.

Human Rights Watch said the U.S. Special Forces Command was firing the
Hellfire missile in operations against Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

In a report, the New York-based group said Predator unmanned aerial vehicles were fitted with the Hellfire for air strikes that killed both suspected AQAP operatives as well as civilians.

“Two drones launched at least three Hellfire missiles at a car in Wessab, a township in Dhamar province in central Yemen,” the report, titled “Between a Drone and Al Qaida,” said.

The report, released on Oct. 21, cited several cases in which the Hellfire, supplied to Middle East militaries, were fired toward suspected AQAP fighters. HRW said the U.S. military also used the Tomahawk cruise missile with a special cluster munitions warhead.

“The use of drones does not directly affect the legal analysis of a
particular attack,” the report said. “These remotely-piloted vehicles and
the missiles and laser-guided bombs they carry are not illegal. When used
appropriately, drones’ enhanced surveillance capabilities can help minimize
civilian casualties in combat operations. But as with other aerial attacks,
drone operations may be hampered by poor intelligence or a failure to
minimize the risk of civilian harm.”

Most UAV strikes against Al Qaida was said to have been conducted by the
U.S. Defense Department’s Joint Special Operations Command in coordination
with the CIA. The report said Yemen has falsely reported responsibility for
UAV strikes.

“President [Abbed Mansour] Hadi said counterterrorism missions are
monitored from a joint operations center in Yemen staffed by military and
intelligence personnel from the United States, Saudi Arabia and Oman,” the report said.

Hellfire missiles were said to have killed an AQAP commander, identified
as Hamid Al Radmi. The report said the missiles also killed Al Radmi’s
driver and two bodyguards.

“While linked to AQAP, it is not evident that he played a role in
military operations that would have made him a valid military target,” the
report said.

  Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, Hamid Al Radmi, Human Rights Watch, Report: U.S. Hellfire missile blew away Al Qaida commander in Yemen, U.S. Special Forces Command