11 more civilians die in US drone strikes in Pakistan
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Nov 4, IRNA -- A US drone aircraft rained missiles in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal region Wednesday killing at least 11 people, entirely civilians, security sources said.
They said that three foreigners were among those killed in three strikes at different locations in the region, bordering Afghanistan.
The first strike on a vehicle killed at least four people, including two foreigners, at Qutab Khel, some three kilometers from Miranshah, the center of North Waziristan, sources said. The missiles also damaged another car, injuring three people.
Three people were killed in the second strike on a vehicle at Esa Khel village in Mir Ali area. All slain people were locals.
The third attack was also aimed at a vehicle which killed at Payo Khel village in Datta Khel area, killing four people. Officials said that all were foreigners.
The strikes coincided with the visit to Pakistan by General David Petraeus, Commander International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) who on Wednesday met Pakistan Army Chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
The United States has, in recent months, increased drone strikes in North Waziristan tribal region, which CIA considers as home of Taliban leaders Hakimullah Mehsood, Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Mulla Nazir. They are accused of also sending fighters to Afghanistan for attacks on US and NATO forces.
Al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, whose network is fighting against US and local forces in neighbouring Afghanistan, is also active in the region.
The network is run by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the son of former Taliban commander Jalaluddin Haqqani.
Pakistan has been under tremendous US pressure to launch operation in North Waziristan region but the Pakistani military has not yet planned any such move.
A number of high-profile militant leaders, including Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud have been killed in the drone attacks.
Pakistan publicly criticizes drone attacks, saying they violate its sovereignty and fuel more anti-Americanism among the people, but observers widely believe that Pakistan shares intelligence with the US on drone strikes.
On Friday, new US ambassador in Islamabad defended strikes by American drone aircraft in Pakistan’s tribal regions and said that these attacks are part of the anti-terror war.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30056199
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