PESHAWAR - At least six suspected militants were killed and another sustained injuries in a US drone strike in North Waziristan Agency on Wednesday. It is the first US drone attack in 2014.
The US spying aircraft fired at least two missiles targeting a compound allegedly being used by suspected militants at Dabbai area in Tehsil Ghulam Kha.
Resultantly, sic were killed and another sustained injuries, sources said, adding that the number of casualties may go up. They said that the compound was destroyed completely.
This was the very first drone attack of 2014 with the last drone strike in Pakistan taking place on December 26, 2013, in which four people were killed in North Waziristan. In 2013, US drones carried out a total of 21 attacks, most of them in NWA to target militant positions. Islamabad had asked US administration to halt drone attacks amid Taliban talks initiative, but the situation seems to be changing, though Pakistan’s declared stance remains that “drones must stop”.
Agencies add: Wednesday’s drone attack also struck a vehicle.
An intelligence official in Miranshah said the missiles had struck a pick-up truck carrying some six militants and laden with explosives.
“Four of them were Uzbeks and two were Punjabi Taliban,” he said.
He said the militants had parked their pick-up truck against the outer wall of the compound — both of which were destroyed and remained ablaze.
Another senior security official confirmed the strike and said authorities had intercepted a radio message talking about the drone attack.
“One of the militants was asking others to reach the site and search for any one injured in the strike and also to dig out the dead bodies,” he said.