THE WEDDING THAT BECAME A FUNERAL: YEMEN DRONE STRIKE (2014 Newsweek)
THE WEDDING THAT BECAME A FUNERAL: U.S. STILL SILENT ONE YEAR ON FROM DEADLY YEMEN DRONE STRIKE
BY LUCY DRAPER ON 12/12/14 AT 11:20 AM
A year on from a U.S. drone strike in Yemen that hit a wedding convoy, killing 12, the United States government have refused to formally recognise the attack, or publicly acknowledge that unarmed civilians died as a result of the strike. However, recent investigations have found that they have secretly paid a record sum of over $1 million in compensation to the families of the victims.
According to the victims, on 12th December 2013, Abdallah Mabkhut al-Ameri, his new wife and about 60 of their friends and family, were travelling in a wedding procession outside the city of Rada’a when four Hellfire missiles hit the convoy, resulting in the deaths of more than 10 people, including the groom’s son from a previous marriage, and injury of 24 more.
Al-Ameri recalled the events, in an interview with human rights organisation Reprieve: “That day, we had lunch, ate and drank water and headed to pick up the bride. We were around 60-70 people and around 12 cars. The mood was joyful and I was so pleased. I was surrounded with friends and family. I was so happy. It was my wedding party. Then we were hit.”....
