Yemeni parliament passes law banning Washington drone attacks

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Yemen's parliament on Sunday called for a stop to drone attacks in a symbolic vote that reflected growing public anxiety about Washington's use of the unmanned aircraft to combat al Qaeda in the impoverished country. Motions passed by the Yemeni parliament are not binding and can be struck down by the president, and are seen as no more than recommendations to the government.

"The Yemeni public is angered by the drone strikes," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to talk to reporters. "The people's representatives reflected on the tone of the streets."

That anger was further stoked last week after what Yemeni security officials said was a US attack in southwestern Yemen last week. Intelligence reports had identified the targeted convoy as carrying al Qaeda militants, but the passengers were actually members of a wedding party, the officials said.

The officials said that 14 people were killed and 22 others wounded, nine critically. US officials declined to comment on the report.

"An air strike missed its target and hit a wedding car convoy, ten people were killed immediately and another five who were injured died after being admitted to the hospital," a Yemeni security official told Reuters.

The attacks are part of a joint US-Yemeni campaign against al Qaeda, and Yemen's government is unlikely to approve any measure that would limit the use of unmanned aircraft, the government official said.

The United States has stepped up drone strikes in Yemen as part of a campaign against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), regarded by Washington as the most active wing of the militant network.

The United States says its drones program has been successful in eliminating al Qaeda in various countries. Some Yemenis say had it not been for such strikes, AQAP could have seized more territory across Yemen.

Yemeni foreign minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi told Reuters in September that the drone strikes were a "necessary evil" and a "very limited affair" that happens in coordination with the Yemeni government.

However, other Yemenis, and some US politicians, say the strikes and civilian casualties are increasing sympathy for AQAP and resentment against America.

AQAP, which has scattered across the country, is now targeting local police and security officials, who have only tenuous control in Yemen.

In October, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a damning report on US drone strikes in Yemen. It described six of some 80 targeted killing operations in the country. In those six attacks, 82 people were killed, 57 of whom - nearly 70 percent - were civilians.

RT