Three US drone strikes kill 11

MIRANSHAH: At least 11 suspected militants were killed in three US drone missile strikes in northwestern tribal belt on Wednesday, security officials said.

Three suspected militants were killed when a US drone fired two missiles at a car in Khaiso Khel town 25 kilometres (16 miles) east of Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan region, late Wednesday, three local security officials said.

Almost simultaneously another drone strike killed four suspected militants in nearby Payi Khel town, they said -- hours after a similar attack killed four in a vehicle in the Qutub Khel suburb of Miranshah.

One security official said the vehicle hit in the earlier attack had been loaded with arms and ammunition.

"It detonated in the attack and the vehicle caught fire -- nobody can go near the vehicle," he said. A nearby house was damaged in the strike, officials said.