Military

10 die in US drone strikes in NW Pakistan

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Sept 9, IRNA -- At least 10 people were killed and several others were injured in a two US drone strikes in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region on Wednesday, locals said.

A journalist in Miranshah told IRNA on phone that the first strike struck a house in the Dandi Darpa Khel area of North Waziristan, killing six people.

A second US drone hit a vehicle on Ghualm Khan road in North Waziristan, he said.

The pilotless aircraft fired three missiles on the vehicle, he added.

It was the second drone attack in the tribal area in a day. Hours earlier, a drone strike killed at six people four and injured several others in Dandi Darpa Khel area.

Over the last few days, the US drones stepped up drone strikes in Waziristan region, bordering Afghanistan.

The local journalist said that US pilotless aircraft had been flying over the area since morning. He said that the people had been in the grip of fear due to the continued flights of drone aircraft.

The US says al-Qaeda and Taliban militants are hiding in Pakistan's Waziristan region and plans attacks across the border in Afghanistan, where some 150,000 NATO troops are fighting the Taliban militants.

Pakistan publicly opposes US drone strikes but opposition says that there is hidden agreement beween the government and the US over the strikes. The government denies any such agreement.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 265901