Islamabad, Pakistan. -The Pakistan government has labels the U.S. drone attacks illegal, claiming that they violate international law. The accusation comes after an attack Monday that resulted in the death of 15 Pakistani civilians. In past few days the U.S. Launched three such strikes killing over 27 civilians according to Reuters.
The Obama administration according to Reuters does not see the increased drone strikes as violating international law or war law.
The American-Pakistan alliance has been deteriorating over the past two years. Americans rising number of drone strikes, particularly in North Waziristhan on the northern Afghan border, has only strained the already deteriorating alliance. So much so that Pakistan closed down military supply routes within their territory to NATO troops.
The Pakistan Inter Service Intelligence has expressed anger over America's persistent drone strikes, which has not only resulted in the killings of many civilians but also any soldiers. It was reported that Sunday 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a friendly fire, as reported by Foreign Policy.
The question whether the drone strikes are legal or illegal seems to be a point of controversy between the two States. According to international law and war law, such attacks are legitimate in the case of self-defense, an argument bolstered by America. Others say that since the war is technically not fought by America it cannot be legal, especially since it involves the killings of so many civilians and innocent people.
Philip Altson, United Nations' Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions, tells spacewar.com "The problem with the United States is that it is making an increased use of drones/Predators (which are) particularly prominently used now in relation to Pakistan and Afghanistan. My concern is that drones/Predators are being operated in a framework which may well violate international humanitarian law and international human rights law."
https://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_drone_strikes_may_break_international_law_UN_official_999.html
