US drone strike kills nine in Pakistan
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, June 15, IRNA -- US spy aircraft Wednesday fired missiles into Pakistan’s South Waziristan tribal region killing nine persons, residents said.
The pilotless aircraft struck two houses near Wana, the center of South Waziristan, where suspected militants were hiding, they said.
The area is under the control of Taliban group led by Mullah Nazir, who has signed a peace deal with the Pakistani government but the CIA believes he is sheltering al-Qaeda and Afghan Taliban and also send them across the border into Afghanistan.
The US has stepped up strikes in South Waziristan in recent days. In one of the strikes killed wanted al-Qaeda-linked militant leader Ilyas Kashmiri earlier this month, Pakistani officials say.
Earlier the main focus of the strikes had been North Waziristan, the main stronghold of Taliban and remnants of al-Qaeda. Security sources say that militants have recent moved to South Waziristan after reports suggested Pakistan is likely to launch operation in the region.
The United States has been pressuring Pakistan to act against the militants in North Waziristan and Pakistan insists it will decide about the timings.
Pakistan army declared victory in South Waziriatan last year after the security forces conducted operation against Taliban in October 2009.
The militants attacked Pakistani forces in South Waziristan.
A roadside bomb killed three soldiers in the region on Monday.
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30434067
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