The FINANCIAL — At least four suspected militants have been killed in a US drone attack in north-west Pakistan; an unspecified number of others were injured in the attack.
The apparent American strike was the latest of more than 50 in the region since last year aimed at killing top al-Qaida and Taliban leaders. Last month, the head of the Pakistani Taliban was killed in one such strike, as AP reported.
Monday's attack took place about 1.5 miles (3 kilometers) from the town of Mir Ali in North Waziristan, killing four people, two officials and witnesses said, according to the same source. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they need to remain unnamed to do their job effectively. The identities of the victims were not known.
The strike targeted a vehicle believed to be carrying Taliban fighters in the North Waziristan tribal district near the Afghan border, as M&G gives information. It was not immediately clear whether any high-profile target was engaged in the assault which took place at around 6 am (0100 GMT). According to the official, unconfirmed reports received from informants suggested the death toll could be higher than just four.
A similar attack in South Waziristan in early August killed Pakistan's top Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, as BBC reported. Hundreds of militants and civilians have been killed in dozens of drone attacks in the past year. Those killed in Monday's attack are said to be Taliban militants, but officials cannot confirm whether any foreign militants were among them.
Pakistan protests the U.S. missile strikes as violations of its sovereignty and say they fan support for the insurgents, but Washington has shown no sign of abandoning a tactic that it says has killed several ranking militants and disrupted their operations, according to AP. Islamist militants with roots in the border region launch near-daily attacks on Pakistan's U.S.-backed government and security forces. The mountainous, lawless area is also used as a safe haven from which to stage attacks on foreign forces in Afghanistan.
CNN reported that the United States is the only country in the region known to have the ability to launch missiles from drones, which are controlled remotely. The U.S. normally does not comment on suspected drone strikes, which have caused tension between Pakistan and the United States in the past.
The same source gives information that the Pakistani military is fighting Taliban militants in the country's north, and missile attacks from suspected U.S. drones have targeted militant leaders.
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