| GEO Pakistan | | Suspected US drone kills 6 in N.Waziristan | Updated at: 0129 PST, Wednesday, March 31, 2010
BANNU: At least six persons were killed in a US unmanned plane attack on Tapi area located on Miranshah road in Bannu of North Waziristan district, sources told media late on Tuesday night.
Two missiles were fired from US drone, killing six persons and injuring few more, according to preliminary information as reported by sources.
More drones’ flights are still underway over the area, sources further said.
According to details reached here as released by a foreign news agency, an unmanned US aircraft fired three missiles, destroying a compound in tribal belt near the Afghan border early Wednesday and killing six militants, security officials said.
"A US drone attack targeted a compound owned by Zamir Khan, a local tribesman, and used by militants. Two missiles were fired," a Pakistani security official told media on condition of anonymity.
"Four people were killed," the official said. The strike took place at the village of Tapi, in the district of North Waziristan about 20 kilometres (13 miles) east of the town of Miranshah.
Another intelligence official confirmed the first attack and said another US drone fired a third drone into the same compound killing, another two suspected militants and bringing the overall death toll to six.
The identities of the dead were not immediately known, nor whether they included any high-value targets.
The area is a known stronghold of the Haqqani network active in attacks on US troops in Afghanistan and of Afghan warlord Hafiz Gul Bahadur, who is reputed to control up to 2,000 fighters in the nine-year Afghan insurgency.
After the first attack at about 12:45 am (1945 GMT) local residents saw flames leaping out of the compound and said more drones were hovering over the area, preventing them from collecting the dead.
Local security officials said the targeted compound was a residence for militants and Wednesday's attack was the second in North Waziristan in days.
Two militants were also wounded in the attack, they said. |  |
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