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U.S missiles strike kills 6 in Pakistani tribal region: witnesses

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Oct 16, IRNA

Pakistan-Missile-Strike

American drone fired missiles in Pakistan tribal region on Thursday, killing six people and injuring five others, witnesses said.

At least three missiles hit house of a tribal elder in Ladha area of South Waziristan, they said.

The fresh attack happened a day after top Pakistani, Afghan armies and ISAF chief met in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi to review cooperation against Taliban and al-Qaeda remnants.

The meeting had agreed on better coordination to avoid misunderstanding, surfaced recently due to intrusion of U.S. forces into Pakistani territory and missile attacks.

Despite Pakistan's protest, the U.S drones have continued attacks in the tribal regions to hit suspected militants but locals say mostly civilians are killed.

Witnesses said that two houses of local tribesmen were completely destroyed in the attack at around 12 noon. They said that a vehicle was also destroyed in the attack.

TV channels reported that foreigners are among those killed in the strike.

Witnesses said they had seen U.S drone flying over the area before the attack.

The U.S fired the missile in area controlled by Baitullah Mehsood, the chief of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, witnesses said.

The witnesses said they had seen four bodies being pulled from the rubble of the house.

They said they feared the toll could rise as a number of people were present in the house at the time of the attack.

People kept away from Ghazi Khan Mehsud's house and did not immediately launch rescue operations as two drones were seen flying over the area even after the explosions occurred.

This was the first time suspected US drones have struck an area inhabited by the Mehsud tribe and under the control of Baitullah Mehsud. Today's attack was the latest in a series of missile strikes by US drones in Pakistan's troubled tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.