US drone strikes kill 14 in NW Pakistan

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, June 6,IRNA -- US pilotless aircraft fired missiles into South Waziristan tribal region early Monday, and killed at least 14 people, security sources said.

The drones hit a religious school and a house near Wana, the center of South Waziristan.

Sources said that five foreign militants were among the dead.

Local sources said that the US spy aircraft targeted the compound of senior Taliban commander, Malang in Shalam Dana area, some 17 kilometers from Wana. Commander Malang belongs to Mulla Nazir group of Taliban, who control Wana and nearby areas.

A correspondent in Wana said that other slain Taliban militants were from Punjab province and locals.

It is second strike in South Waziristan in four days.

On Friday night, the U.S. drone strike killed a top militant leader Ilyas Kashmiri along with 8 other militants. Kashmiri was wanted to the US and Pakistan. He was behind the last month brazen attack on navy air station in Karachi, which killed 10 Pakistan navy personnel.

According to estimate, the Monday strike is the 34th in Pakistan this year. Nearly 250 people, most of whom are suspected militants, have been killed in these strikes.

The US has stepped up strikes in Waziristan tribal region after the US and Pakistan formed a joint intelligence mechanism in the wake of the visit to Islamabad by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton late last month.

Hillary had asked Pakistan to take urgent and decisive steps against the militants.