Islamabad: US spy planes carried out two strikes in the lawless North Waziristan tribal region of Pakistan on Monday, killing 11 militants as the CIA stepped up its drone campaign against the backdrop of increased tensions between Islamabad and Washington.
In the first attack early this morning, the CIA-operated drones fired at least eight missiles at a compound and a vehicle at Hassokhel, 25 km from Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan Agency. At least seven militants were killed.
The drones struck twice within half an hour, local residents said. Foreign fighters, including Uzbeks and Arabs, are believed to be present in the area targeted. Later in the evening, a drone targeted a vehicle in Datta Khel, 30 km from Miranshah, and killed four militants.
At least 29 militants have died in five drone attacks carried out in the past six days. Four militants were killed in a drone strike on May 26 while four more were killed in an attack near Miranshah on May 23. Ten militants, mostly foreigners, were killed in yet another missile strike on May 24. The US stepped up drone strikes last week shortly after the conclusion of the NATO Summit in Chicago, where Pakistan did not make any announcement about ending a nearly six-month blockade of supply routes to Afghanistan.
PTI