A file photo of a drone. PHOTO: AFP
The strikes, which occurred early morning, reportedly killed at least two suspected militants.
An official of the political administration from Khyber Agency told The Express Tribune that a US drone fired three missiles at around 8:30am in Nazyan district of Afghanistan, targeting the suspected hideouts of militants.
The official, however, did not confirm the casualties and the number of injured in the attack but independent sources said that two suspected militants were killed and several others were injured.
Afghan militants and officials said that the drone attack targeted Pakistan’s banned Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) militant group, Afghan Taliban as well as smugglers.
There has been no word on the attack from the Lashkar and Afghan Taliban till the filing of this report.
An Afghan official in Nangarhar province confirmed the early morning strikes in Nazyan and told The Express Tribune that they were in the process of confirming whose drones or fighter jets carried out the attack.
The official at the Nangarhar Governor’s office, requesting to stay anonymous, said they were also collecting information about casualties.
The three strikes
The spokesperson of second armed resistance movement Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan, Haroon Zarghoon, who is familiar with the area, told The Express Tribune that the drone struck three areas in Nazyan, adding that the site of the attack was just two or three kilometers from the Pakistani border.
Zarghoon said that the Hizb-e-Islami fighters in the region informed him about the drone firing missiles at two locations in the Nakhtar Nau area of Nazyan targeting the Afghan Taliban and a group of smugglers who had been using an alternate route for bringing goods to Pakistan on foot.
He further added that several Taliban members were injured in the strike.
The Pakistani and Afghan smugglers had been mules for cross border smuggling on a narrow road at Nakhtar Nau but recent clashes between the Afghan Taliban and LeI had closed the road.
The third strike is believed to have hit LeI militants in the Spina Zai area of the district.
LeI has recently been involved in clashes with the Afghan Taliban and locals for control. Some Afghans say that LeI fighters had expelled the Afghan Taliban from some of the areas. Some sources also say that the Lashkar's leader Mangal Bagh also operates from the same area.
An Afghan journalist from Jalalabad told The Express Tribune that he heard the drones fire missiles when the Pakistan and Afghan Taliban were holding a 'jirga' for reconciliation as they also had some disputes.
The journalist, requesting anonymity, said Lashkar had also some problems with the locals in recent months.
The number of deaths in Pakistan tribal region could not be verified due to remoteness of the mountainous region.
The last drone strike in Pakistan took place on December 26, 2013, killing four people.
COMMENTS (19)
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Thought the attack was in Afghanistan, why is it bothering ppl of Pakistan? It is as if some asset of their is being attacked... Also some ppl here talking about Nigeria - god forbid, if your daughter / sister gets abducted as the 250 girls are - wonder if you will see the abductors as anything other than evil!!!
@Stranger:
Embarrassing the establishment is a big NO NO in Pakistan. Akin to Afridi she stood up to terrorist and exposed how weak/inept the military/govt really is. Nobody has lifted a finger to bring in the shooters of Malala and nobody has lifted a finger to find out who was helping OBL. It's easier to crap all over the messenger rather than fix the problem.
Thanks. Please do more as Pakistan government is giving protection to terrorists.
Shame and hopeless; when Pakistan soldiers die because of tribals attacks them then generals will responsible nobody will give them martyrs medals
Why are you Pak guys so much against that Malala ?
fresh fight between TTP and Pakistan...as if they were not fighting
@Mard-e-Haq: Yes, Yes keep blaming that little girl for your own failures! What has the so called Muslim leadership achieved so far? Keep blaming everyone else for your own failure, never grow up!
Ya Allah,
Dronacharya is back
Welcome back we missed you.
welcome back to the national bird
US drone fired three missiles on Naziyan in "Afghanistan" not Pakistan fools.
I thought Obama got that memo from Malala who thundered against drone strikes! But she is subtly promoting military justification in Nigeria now, while the US continues to strike the tribal regions.
I really wonder whether there will be another soft denouncement against this drone attack by Malala.
The DRONE - The new national bird of Pak.
PTI close the supplies maybe :p
Welcome back dear drones. We need you since PMLN Govt is busy in protecting terrorists by providing them time to hide.
Thing is that this resumption may help to again unite a divided Taliban
Limited time offer of drones' strikes' suspension from US has been ended by this drone's attack and in other words now clashes between TTP and government are going to restart once again because US' tolerance's and patience's thermometer has been over.Now lets see how PML-N government protects Pakistan's sovereignty and peace talks with TTP from US' interference of sabotaging and refraining from commencement of war terrorist attacks again??????
i think this drone attack took place in Tora Bora in Afghanistan.
Now the peace talks with TTP are deadlocked and nothing good is achieved despite releasing four groups of terrorists it is time to start drones again. Thanks a drone, Uncle Sam.