US drone strike killed four in Pakistan

At least four alleged militants were killed and several others injured when a US drone fired missiles on a compound in North Waziristan, Pakistan’s tribal area bordering Afghanistan.

According to the media reports, the attack took place early Saturday, at a house in Miranshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan. This region is a famous hideout of Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked officials which is why US frequently attacks it with unmanned aircrafts.

A report quoting security official observed, “A US drone fired two missiles at a house and at least four militants were killed. The identities of the militants killed in the drone strike were not immediately known”.

The local people while speaking to the media said that they were woken up by the sound of the low-flying spy planes and the noise of the missile attacks. An eye witness described his situation, “The house caught fire after missiles hit it and militants immediately cordoned off the area and were searching in the rubble”.

The American administration considers Pakistan’s semi-autonomous Northwestern tribal region the main center of Al-Qaeda militants and the Taliban.

It is vital to mention here that North Waziristan is believed to be a stronghold of the Haqqani network, which is blamed for a series of spectacular attacks on Western targets in Kabul and Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud.

Islamabad is of the opinion that drone strikes are counter-productive, violate sovereignty of the country and increase anti-American sentiment.

It is vital to write it here that, two drone strikes hit Miranshah and Mir Ali areas of North Waziristan, killing at least 15 people during the last two days. It was the fifth attack of unmanned planes since Pakistani parliament approved a joint resolution in March demanding a halt to such attacks.

According to statistics, 45 US missile strikes were reported in Pakistan’s tribal belt in 2009, the, 101 in 2010 and 64 in 2011. According to an American Think Tank, drone strikes have killed between 1,715 and 2,680 people in Pakistan in the past eight years.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=23437

Posted by Faisal Farooq on May 26 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.