U.S President Donald Trump has given the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) new authority to launch drone strikes against suspected insurgents, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Monday.
The move would be a change from the policy of former U.S President Barack Obama's administration of limiting the CIA's paramilitary role, the newspaper reported, citing a U.S official.
The new authority represents a strong shift from the standard practice to date which was that the CIA could deploy drones and other intelligence resources to locate suspected terrorists where-after the military would conduct the actual strike.
Under the new authority, the CIA would not require permission from the Pentagon or even the White House before launching a drone strike for a targeted killing mission.
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