US drones kill 21 people in NW Pakistan
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, April 22, IRNA -- US drone aircraft fired on a compound in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal region early Friday morning and killed 21 people, local media reported.
TV channels reported that five children and three women are among those killed in the strike on a house in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan.
Security sources had earlier said those targeted belong to the Taliban group led by Hafiz Gul Bahadar, who has a peace deal with the Pakistani government.
Officials in Miranshah, center of North Waziristan, said that militants were gathered at a big house at Spin Wam village near Mir Ali, a main town in the region.
Sources had claimed that militants from other areas in North Waziristan have taken shelter in Spin Wam area due to US drone strikes.
Local tribesmen said that two drone aircraft fired 4 missiles on the house.
The strike came a day after the US Chairman Joint Chief of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, held talks with Pakistan’s military leadership and the Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani demanded halt to the strikes in the country’s trial regions.
Kayani said that drone strikes have harmed the anti-terror efforts and also sparked public anger.
The US rejected demand to stop drone strikes.
The Friday’s attack reflects the US mood to continue attacks in Waziristan tribal region, that the CIA considers as the launching pad for cross border attacks into Afghanistan on foreign forces.
TV channels quoted local tribesmen as saying that they had seen US spy planes before the struck a house. More aircraft were flying over the area after the attack.
**1420
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30350748
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