Peshawar: Four militants were killed in a
US drone strike in the lawless North Waziristan tribal region
in northwest Pakistan on Thursday, local residents said, the fourth
such strike on terrorist hideouts in as many days.
The drone fired two missiles at a militant compound in
Dande Darpa Khel village, a few kilometres north of Miranshah,
the main town in North Waziristan Agency, witnesses said.
At least four militants were killed in the strike,
they said.
The US has stepped up drone attacks in North
Waziristan since a suicide bomber linked to the
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan killed seven CIA operatives in
neighbouring Khost province of Afghanistan in December.
There have been more than a dozen drone attacks in
the region this year.
More than 700 people have died in scores of drone
strikes since August 2008.
Pakistan has publicly criticised drone attacks, saying
they fuel support for militants, but observers say authorities
privately condone the strikes.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, February 18, 2010, 23:20