US drone strike kills 4 people in NW Pakistan
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Aug 16, IRNA -- A US drone strike in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal belt along the Afghan border killed at least four people, local media said.
The spy American aircraft fired two missiles on a school near Miramshah, the main town in North Waziristan, Dawn TV reported.
According to TV channels, the people were having ‘Sehri’ freed dawn meal in the Muslim holy month of Ramdan when their compound was struck by the drone.
Residents said they heard noise of US pilotless aircraft before the strike. Some aircrfat were also flying over the area after the strike.
The Taliban militants cordoned off the area and sources said they also transferred bodies.
Some sources said those killed belong to the main Taliban group led by Hafiz Gul Bahada. It was not know if any high value target was among those killed in the strike.
It is second US drone strike in North Waziristan in a week.
A US drone strike had killed 21 suspected militants including foreigners when a house and vehicle were hit on August 10.
Drone strikes have caused a rift between Pakistan and the United States as Islamabad publicly opposes the policy but Washington has ruled out any change.
Tribesmen and rights groups insist civilians are regularly killed in the drone strikes and Pakistan call it counterproductive in the campaign against violent extremists.
The Tuesday’s attack came a day after the US attached conditions to Pakistan’s military aid, US media has reported.
The US wants Pakistan to take more steps against the militants, help in Afghan war, provide information about the compound where Osama bin Laden was killed on May 2 and Pakistan take steps to improve bilateral relations.
Pakistan recently slapped travel curbs on US diplomats in the country and they are now required to get special permission for going to other cities from Islamabad.
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30523034
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