Children Injured by Drone Strikes to Appear Before Congress

At a briefing next Tuesday

On Tuesday 29 October, two children who were injured in a drone attack in North West Pakistan which killed their grandmother will appear, along with their father, at a briefing in the US Congress.

Rafiq ur Rehman – a teacher in a primary school in North Waziristan – and his children Nabila (9) and Zubair (13) will attend the briefing on drones called by Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-09). Mr Rehman's 67-year-old mother was killed in the same October 2012 strike which injured his children.

This will be the first time that members of Congress have heard testimony direct from civilian victims of the CIA's covert drone campaign.

"I'm looking forward to hearing from the drone strike victims," said Congressman Grayson. "When it comes to national security matters like drone strikes, it's important that we hear not only from the proponents of these attacks, but also from the victims. They have a unique perspective to share with Congress, and I hope that my colleagues will attend this important event on October 29th."

(Hat tip to Zaid Jilani)