Pakistan protests against US drone strike
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, July 3, IRNA -- Pakistan has strongly condemned the US drone strike in North Waziristan tribal region, which local media says has killed 18 people, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
Reports said that American spy aircraft fired missiles on a house and a vehicle early Wednesday in the Sirai Darpakhel area near Miranshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan.
“These strikes are a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Foreign Ministry said.
Pakistan has repeatedly emphasized the importance of bringing an immediate end to drone strikes, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement.
“The Government of Pakistan has consistently maintained that drone strikes are counter-productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives and have human rights and humanitarian implications,” he said.
The spokesman said the US drone strikes have a negative impact on the mutual desire of both countries to forge a cordial and cooperative relationship and to ensure peace and stability in the region.
Security sources said that the unmanned US aircraft targeted Afghan militants hiding in the compound.
Section of the local media said that a commander of the Haqqani group, Sher Khan, was among those killed in the strike. There was no confirmation by the officials and the militants.
The drone attack was the biggest and second since Nawaz Sharif took over as Pakistanˈs prime minister following the May 11 elections. Seven people were killed in the last drone strike in the North Waziristan tribal area on June 8.
In a previous drone attack on May 30, Deputy Chief of Pakistani Taliban, Wali-ur-Rehman was killed near Miranshah.
The US routinely fired missiles into the Pakistani tribal regions on the plea that the militants use the area for planning attacks across the border into Afghanistan.
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