Biden Orders Limiting Use of Drones Outside Conventional War Zones

MADRID, 8 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has signed a classified regulation that consolidates the decision, taken privately at the time he arrived at the White House, to limit attacks by anti-terrorist drones outside so-called conventional war zones.

With this decision, Biden will be ultimately responsible for adding individuals to drone targeting lists after his predecessor, Donald Trump, relaxed conditions and left the decision up to military commanders in any combat scenario. sources close to the decision inform the 'New York Times'.

The United States right now only recognizes Syria and Iraq as "conventional scenarios" of combat where selective attacks with drones will continue to be left to the discretion of operational commands. Unmanned operations in countries like Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen, as well as the tribal region of Pakistan, will require direct approval from Biden.

Although this new regulation contemplates specific exceptions such as cases of self-defense, the person ultimately responsible for the decision must in any case have "almost total" certainty that a target is a member of a terrorist group and that no civilian will die or be wounded before pulling the trigger, according to media sources.

"Counterterrorism operations must meet the highest standards of accuracy and rigor, including in identifying appropriate targets and minimizing civilian casualties," according to a memo from Biden's national security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.