US drone strikes in North Waziristan kill at least 7
Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal area seen from the air. NATO and the Afghan government say that Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters cross into Afghanistan from the Pakistani side to stage attacks on NATO troops. Osama bin Laden was thought to be hiding in the mountainous border region, but instead was located at a compound 35 miles from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.
US drone strikes killed at least seven militants today in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal region, located on the border with Afghanistan, Agence France-Presse reported. This is the second drone strike since the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began.
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The drones fired six missiles at a car and a small compound in the Khushhali Turikhel village, a security official told Pakistan’s Express Tribune.
At least six of the militants killed were from Uzbekistan, the security official told Pakistan’s Express Tribune.
“It is not immediately clear if there was an important militant killed in the attack,” a security official told AFP.
According to AFP, the number of US drone strikes in Pakistan has jumped since May. A similar attack killed 10 militants in the Shawal area of North Waziristan on Monday.
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Drone strikes in June and July killed a total of 21 militants, including senior Al-Qaeda member Abu Yahya al-Libi.
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AFP notes:
Drone strikes are likely to be a major issue when Pakistan’s spymaster, Lieutenant General Zaheer ul-Islam, holds talks in Washington on August 1-3 with his CIA counterpart.