U.S. drone strike secrecy plea

U.S. drone strikes on Pakistan and Yemen are in the spotlight again as two prominent human rights groups release reports on civilian deaths.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are urging the Obama administration to end its secrecy over the attacks.

Amnesty International's report concentrated on two strikes in Pakistan last year which killed a grandmother and 18 civilian labourers.

The group says 68-year-old Mamana Bibi was blown apart in front of her family as she gathered vegetables.

But it says the U.S. government has stayed silent.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHER MUSTAFA QADRI SAYING:

"Almost a year to the day her family has yet to receive any acknowledgement from the U.S. that she was killed by one of its drones, yet alone any justice or compensation for her killing."

Pakistan's prime minister, used a speech in Washington on Tuesday to condemn the strikes.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER