Unmanned war: US drone crashes in North Waziristan

MIRAMSHAH:

A US drone crashed in a Pakistani tribal region late Saturday, officials said.

The unmanned reconnaissance aircraft came down in the mountainous Machikhel area, about 30 kilometres east of Miramshah, the main town in North Waziristan Agency, which is frequently targeted by drone strikes, military and security officials said.

“A US drone crashed, apparently due to some technical fault,” a military official in Peshawar told AFP. Security officials in the region confirmed the crash saying it fell in the mountains.

The crash site has been surrounded by militants, one security official said, refusing to confirm claims by some Taliban militants that the drone was shot down by insurgents. In Washington, a US official also said that reports of the drone being shot down were untrue.

Militants had taken away parts of the wreckage, a security official said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2012.