Drone strike kills 6 in N Waziristan: Officials

Unmanned aircraft fires two missiles on suspected militant compound in Shawal area.

MIRANSHAH: At least six suspected militants were killed when a US drone fired two missiles at a house of a local tribesman, Abdul Rehman, on Tuesday night in the Shawal area of North Waziristan, near the Pak-Afghan border, a security official told The Express Tribune.

The security official said that the targeted a compound was situated in Kund Ghar village, Shawal tehsil. It was frequented by militants. Shawal lies about 45km southwest of Miranshah subdivision of North Waziristan.

“The drone targeted a hideout frequently used by militants, which was destroyed in the attack,” said the official. Local sources said the compound was known as Rehmani Markaz.

Islamabad has repeatedly denounced drone attacks on its tribal areas as counterproductive to the overall fight against terror, and that such unilateral actions violate the country’s sovereignty and provoke militancy.

Human rights activists have also condemned drone strikes for the high number of civilian casualties. The Obama administration claims drones are important in taking out al Qaeda linked militants.

Clerics in North and South Waziristan, in protest against the drone strikes, had announced of boycotting polio vaccination campaigns in the areas.